Jerzy Urban
Encyclopedia
Jerzy Urban (ˈjɛʐɨ ˈurban), also known as: Jerzy Kibic, Jan Rem, Klakson (born August 3, 1933 in Łódź) born Jerzy Urbach, is a Jewish-Polish
journalist, commentator, writer and politician, editor-in-chief of the weekly Nie
and owner of the company which owns it, Urma.
and Bund
. In 1939, during the issuing of his Soviet ID, an official confused the letters in his name (ch – х in Russian, was transcribed as н – corresponding to the Latin n). Nevertheless his parents decided not change it, a move which possibly saved their lives when Germany seized Lviv in 1941.
Jerzy Urban reportedly attended 17 different primary and high schools. He completed his senior high school exams as an external student. He studied in two faculties of the University of Warsaw
and was expelled from both. He started his journalistic career with the journal Nowa Wieś.
During 1955-1957, he was a journalist – reporter and commentator – for the weekly Po prostu, which started during the rehabilitation of Władysław Gomułka, who became communist party leader. However, the newspaper was closed by the personal initiative of Gomułka, which symbolised the end of the thaw which started under Gomułka. The newspaper was closed mainly because of the biting, uncompromising opinion articles by Urban. Urban himself was officially banned from publishing under his own name. From 1961, he worked for the weekly Polityka
, continuing his opinion pieces under pseudonyms. He was eventually totally forbidden from carrying out any journalistic activities. This ban continued until Gomułka lost power as party leader.
From August 1981 to April 1989, Jerzy Urban was a government spokesperson. He created the tradition of weekly press conferences, transmitted by the Polish television and attended by both Polish and foreign journalists.
In September 1984, during the month before the murder of the priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, he wrote a column "Seanse nienawiści" (hate session), criticising the priest as an anti-communist Savonarola.
In 1986 Urban masterminded a media story that the United States had betrayed the Solidarity movement. On June 3 he met with a Washington Post reporter and told him that a Polish spy for the CIA, who was later identified as Ryszard Kukliński
, was aware of the plan to install martial law in 1981 and had passed that information on to Washington. "The US administration could have publicly revealed these plans to the world and warned Solidarity," Urban said, "Had it done so, the implementation of martial law would have been impossible." At a June 6 press conference Urban alleged that "Washington ... did not warn its allies. It did not boast of its agent as it customarily does." According to Urban, the Reagan administration had "lied to its own people and to its friends in Poland," when it denied having prior knowledge of martial law.
in 1989, Urban candidated as an independent (he was never a member of the PZPR). He suffered a landslide defeat and since then gave up attempts to actively participate in politics.
In 1990 he established Nie, an anti-clerical tabloid-like newspaper, which often uses profanity. He has been the chief editor ever since and the newspaper itself has many readers.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
journalist, commentator, writer and politician, editor-in-chief of the weekly Nie
NIE (weekly magazine)
NIE is a Polish weekly magazine published in Warsaw since 1990. Its political line is left. The newspaper is known to be very critical of right wing and religion, especially Catholicism. It publishes lot of satirical texts, containing very vulgar vocabulary. The editor-in-chief and owner of NIE is...
and owner of the company which owns it, Urma.
Before 1989
Urban was born in Jewish family in Łódź. His father was an activist of PPSPolish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
and Bund
General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland
The General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland was a Jewish socialist party in Poland which promoted the political, cultural and social autonomy of Jewish workers, sought to combat antisemitism and was generally opposed to Zionism.-Creation of the Polish Bund:...
. In 1939, during the issuing of his Soviet ID, an official confused the letters in his name (ch – х in Russian, was transcribed as н – corresponding to the Latin n). Nevertheless his parents decided not change it, a move which possibly saved their lives when Germany seized Lviv in 1941.
Jerzy Urban reportedly attended 17 different primary and high schools. He completed his senior high school exams as an external student. He studied in two faculties of the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
and was expelled from both. He started his journalistic career with the journal Nowa Wieś.
During 1955-1957, he was a journalist – reporter and commentator – for the weekly Po prostu, which started during the rehabilitation of Władysław Gomułka, who became communist party leader. However, the newspaper was closed by the personal initiative of Gomułka, which symbolised the end of the thaw which started under Gomułka. The newspaper was closed mainly because of the biting, uncompromising opinion articles by Urban. Urban himself was officially banned from publishing under his own name. From 1961, he worked for the weekly Polityka
Polityka
Polityka is a centre-left weekly newsmagazine in Poland. With a circulation of 170,000 it is the country's biggest selling weekly, ahead of Newsweek's Polish edition and Wprost. Today, the magazine has a slightly intellectual, social liberal profile, setting it apart from the more conservative...
, continuing his opinion pieces under pseudonyms. He was eventually totally forbidden from carrying out any journalistic activities. This ban continued until Gomułka lost power as party leader.
From August 1981 to April 1989, Jerzy Urban was a government spokesperson. He created the tradition of weekly press conferences, transmitted by the Polish television and attended by both Polish and foreign journalists.
In September 1984, during the month before the murder of the priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, he wrote a column "Seanse nienawiści" (hate session), criticising the priest as an anti-communist Savonarola.
In 1986 Urban masterminded a media story that the United States had betrayed the Solidarity movement. On June 3 he met with a Washington Post reporter and told him that a Polish spy for the CIA, who was later identified as Ryszard Kukliński
Ryszard Kuklinski
Ryszard Jerzy Kukliński was a Polish colonel, Cold War spy and whistleblower. He passed top secret Warsaw Pact documents to the CIA between 1971 and 1981...
, was aware of the plan to install martial law in 1981 and had passed that information on to Washington. "The US administration could have publicly revealed these plans to the world and warned Solidarity," Urban said, "Had it done so, the implementation of martial law would have been impossible." At a June 6 press conference Urban alleged that "Washington ... did not warn its allies. It did not boast of its agent as it customarily does." According to Urban, the Reagan administration had "lied to its own people and to its friends in Poland," when it denied having prior knowledge of martial law.
After 1989
During the semi-free electionsContract Sejm
Contract Sejm is a term commonly applied to the Polish Parliament elected in the Polish parliamentary elections of 1989. The contract refers to an agreement reached by the Communist Party and the Solidarity movement during the Polish Round Table Agreement. The final agreement was signed on April...
in 1989, Urban candidated as an independent (he was never a member of the PZPR). He suffered a landslide defeat and since then gave up attempts to actively participate in politics.
In 1990 he established Nie, an anti-clerical tabloid-like newspaper, which often uses profanity. He has been the chief editor ever since and the newspaper itself has many readers.
External links
- official page of the weekly Nie
- Criminal Defamation Laws in Poland Hamper Free Expression – IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....