Jakub Berman
Encyclopedia
Jakub Berman was born into a middle-class Jewish family. Berman first became a prominent communist
in prewar Poland. Toward the end of World War II
he joined the Politburo
of the Soviet-formed Polish United Workers' Party
. Between 1944 and 1953, he was considered Joseph Stalin
's right hand in the People's Republic of Poland
– in charge of the notorious State Security Services Urząd Bezpieczeństwa – the largest secret police
in Polish history and one of its most repressive institutions. Berman was the brother of Adolf Berman
, a Zionist activist who emigrated to Israel in 1950.
in 1925 from Warsaw University. He was a member of the Communist Youth Union, and in 1928 joined the early Communist Party of Poland
. He worked on his doctoral thesis as an assistant to Marxist
sociologist Prof. Ludwik Krzywicki
, but was never to finish it. In September 1939, after the Invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany
and the USSR, he fled to the Soviet occupied
eastern part of Poland – first to Białystok and then in the spring of 1941 to Minsk
. There, he worked as an editor at Sztandar Wolności (The Banner of Freedom), the Polish-language bulletin of the Belarusian Communist Party.
After the German invasion of the Soviet Union
in 1941, Berman escaped to Moscow and later became an instructor at the Comintern
school in the city of Ufa
(south-east of Kuibyshev
), training displaced Polish communists who formed the new Soviet sponsored Polish Workers' Party
. In December 1943 he met with Joseph Stalin at the Kremlin
, gained his trust and became a prominent figure among Polish communists in the USSR. In 1944 Berman joined the Politbiuro of the Polish Workers' Party. Upon his return to Poland in 1944 – together with hardliner Bolesław Bierut and the Jewish economist Hilary Minc
– Berman formed a triumvirate of Stalinist leaders in postwar Poland.
Between 1944 and 1956 Berman was a member of Politbiuro of the totalitarian Polish United Workers' Party
(PUWP). He was responsible for propaganda, and ideology; put in charge of State Security Services
(Urząd Bezpieczeństwa, UB), the largest and the most notorious secret police force in the history of the People's Republic of Poland, employing 33,200 permanent security officers, one for every 800 Polish citizens.
After the death of Bolesław Bierut – first secretary of the PUWP – Berman resigned from the PUWP Politbiuro in June 1956, incriminated by Dir. Józef Światło who defected to the West
. He was relieved from Central Committee
of PUWP in the fall of 1956, and in 1957 dismissed from PUWP altogether, as responsible for "Stalinist-era errors and distortions" (abuse of power and gross human rights law violations). Until retirement in 1969, Berman worked in the state-run "Ksiażka i Wiedza" ("Book and Knowledge") publishing house.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in prewar Poland. Toward the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
of the Soviet-formed Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
. Between 1944 and 1953, he was considered Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's right hand in the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
– in charge of the notorious State Security Services Urząd Bezpieczeństwa – the largest secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
in Polish history and one of its most repressive institutions. Berman was the brother of Adolf Berman
Adolf Berman
-Biography:Born in Warsaw under the Russian Empire , Berman attended the University of Warsaw, where he earned a PhD in philosophy...
, a Zionist activist who emigrated to Israel in 1950.
Biography
Berman received a law degreeLaw degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
in 1925 from Warsaw University. He was a member of the Communist Youth Union, and in 1928 joined the early Communist Party of Poland
Communist Party of Poland
The Communist Party of Poland is a historical communist party in Poland. It was a result of the fusion of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania and the Polish Socialist Party-Left in the Communist Workers Party of Poland .-1918-1921:The KPRP was founded on 16 December 1918 as...
. He worked on his doctoral thesis as an assistant to Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
sociologist Prof. Ludwik Krzywicki
Ludwik Krzywicki
Ludwik Krzywicki was a Polish anthropologist, economist and sociologist. One of the early champions of sociology in Poland, he approached historical materialism from a sociological viewpoint...
, but was never to finish it. In September 1939, after the Invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and the USSR, he fled to the Soviet occupied
Kresy
The Polish term Kresy refers to a land considered by Poles as historical eastern provinces of their country. Today, it makes western Ukraine, western Belarus, as well as eastern Lithuania, with such major cities, as Lviv, Vilnius, and Hrodna. This territory belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian...
eastern part of Poland – first to Białystok and then in the spring of 1941 to Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. There, he worked as an editor at Sztandar Wolności (The Banner of Freedom), the Polish-language bulletin of the Belarusian Communist Party.
After the German invasion of the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in 1941, Berman escaped to Moscow and later became an instructor at the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
school in the city of Ufa
Ufa
-Demographics:Nationally, dominated by Russian , Bashkirs and Tatars . In addition, numerous are Ukrainians , Chuvash , Mari , Belarusians , Mordovians , Armenian , Germans , Jews , Azeris .-Government and administration:Local...
(south-east of Kuibyshev
Samara, Russia
Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
), training displaced Polish communists who formed the new Soviet sponsored Polish Workers' Party
Polish Workers' Party
The Polish Workers' Party was a communist party in Poland from 1942 to 1948. It was founded as a reconstitution of the Communist Party of Poland, and merged with the Polish Socialist Party in 1948 to form the Polish United Workers' Party.-History:...
. In December 1943 he met with Joseph Stalin at the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
, gained his trust and became a prominent figure among Polish communists in the USSR. In 1944 Berman joined the Politbiuro of the Polish Workers' Party. Upon his return to Poland in 1944 – together with hardliner Bolesław Bierut and the Jewish economist Hilary Minc
Hilary Minc
Hilary Minc – born into a middle-class Jewish family of Oskar Minc and Stefania née Fajersztajn – was a communist politician in Stalinist Poland and pro-Soviet Marxist economist. Minc joined the Communist Party of Poland before World War II...
– Berman formed a triumvirate of Stalinist leaders in postwar Poland.
Between 1944 and 1956 Berman was a member of Politbiuro of the totalitarian Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
(PUWP). He was responsible for propaganda, and ideology; put in charge of State Security Services
Ministry of Public Security of Poland
The Ministry of Public Security of Poland was a Polish communist secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage service operating from 1945 to 1954 under Jakub Berman of the Politburo...
(Urząd Bezpieczeństwa, UB), the largest and the most notorious secret police force in the history of the People's Republic of Poland, employing 33,200 permanent security officers, one for every 800 Polish citizens.
After the death of Bolesław Bierut – first secretary of the PUWP – Berman resigned from the PUWP Politbiuro in June 1956, incriminated by Dir. Józef Światło who defected to the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
. He was relieved from Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of PUWP in the fall of 1956, and in 1957 dismissed from PUWP altogether, as responsible for "Stalinist-era errors and distortions" (abuse of power and gross human rights law violations). Until retirement in 1969, Berman worked in the state-run "Ksiażka i Wiedza" ("Book and Knowledge") publishing house.