Kornel Morawiecki
Encyclopedia
Kornel Morawiecki - was the founder and leader of Fighting Solidarity
(Polish: Solidarność Walcząca) one of the more radical splinters of Solidarity movement in Poland, during the 1980s. His academic background is that of a theoretical physicist
.
He was the son of Michał and Jadwiga (née Szumańska). He graduated from the gimnazjum of Adam Mickiewicz
in 1958 in Warsaw. He finished a higher degree in physics at the University of Warsaw
in 1958. He finished his doctorate
under Jan Rzewuski
in Quantum Field Theory
in 1970. He worked as a researcher at the University of Wrocław, at first in the Institute of Physics, later in Mathematics. After 1973, he worked at the Wrocław Polytechnic.
In 1968 he took part in student strikes and demonstrations. After the repression of the student protests, together with a group of close friends he edited, printed and distributed pamphlets which denounced the communists government for their repressions against the protesting students.
Since 1979, together with Jan Waszkiewicz
he became the editor of the Biuletyn Dolnośląski, an underground newspaper
. He was a delegate to the First National Congress of NSZZ Solidarity.
At the end of May, 1982, together with Paweł Falicki he founded the "Organization of Fighting Solidarity" which was a unique political opposition organization in Poland and the countries of the Soviet Bloc. This was because it was the only group which from the beginning of its existence called for an end to communism in Poland and other Soviet satellites, establishment of sovereign governments independent from Moscow in them, break up of the Soviet Union and separation of the USSR republics into new nation states, and reunification of Germany within its Potsdam imposed borders. While eventually all these things in fact happened, at the time this program was seen as quite radical and unrealistic, even in dissident circles.
However, Fighting Solidarity also rejected the use of violence to achieve its aims. After the declaration of martial law in Poland
in 1981, Morawiecki became one of the most wanted people in Poland. In 1984, on the directive of General Kiszczak a special team was created in the Ministry of Internal Affairs
charged with observing several dozen places in which the authorities thought he could show up.
On the 9th of November, 1987, after six years of conspiratorial activity in the underground, he was caught and arrested by the Służba Bezpieczeństwa (Secret Police) in Wrocław and was immediately transported by helicopter to Warsaw
, and imprisoned in Rakowiecka Prison. Despite his capture, none of his associates or those who hid him during the past six year, nor the archives of the organization were captured. At the end of April, 1988 he was given the opportunity by the communist authorities (who at the time were trying to get rid of "difficult" people) to travel to Rome for much needed medical treatment, and his right of return to Poland was guaranteed through mediation of the Catholic Church. After three days he attempted to come back to Poland but his passport was confiscated and he was deported from the airport in Warsaw to Vienna
. He managed to illegally come back to Poland in September 1988, by pretending to be a Canadian human rights delegate.
After the fall of communism in Poland, Kornel registered his candidacy for the post of President of Poland in 1990, but in the end he was unable to collect the required 100,000 signatures. During his televised election campaign he symbolically turned over a round table, a reference to the Polish Round Table Agreement
which, he felt, compromised too much with the communists.
For his activism in support of an independent Poland, the Polish Government in Exile
under president Kazimierz Sabbat
awarded him the Officer's Cross of Polonia Restituta
(Order of Poland Reborn). In June 2007, on the 25th anniversary of Fighting Solidarity, he refused to accept from the President of Poland the Grand Cross of Polonia Restituta, arguing that the organization he represented deserved the highest possible state honor - the Order of the White Eagle. He was also awarded the Karel Kramář
Medal by the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek
, for his opposition in 1968 to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
.
He was one of the candidates in the 2010 Polish presidential election, but got only 0.13% of votes and didn't get into the second round.
He is currently working at the Math Institute of the Wrocław University of Technology.
Fighting Solidarity
Fighting Solidarity was a Polish anti-communist underground organization, founded in 1982 by Kornel Morawiecki in Wrocław in response to the delegalization of Solidarity and government repression of the opposition after martial law was declared in 1981...
(Polish: Solidarność Walcząca) one of the more radical splinters of Solidarity movement in Poland, during the 1980s. His academic background is that of a theoretical physicist
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
.
He was the son of Michał and Jadwiga (née Szumańska). He graduated from the gimnazjum of Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
in 1958 in Warsaw. He finished a higher degree in physics at 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...
in 1958. He finished his doctorate
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
under Jan Rzewuski
Jan Rzewuski
Jan Rzewuski was a Polish theoretical physicist, a member of Polish resistance during World War II and a participant in the Warsaw Uprising....
in Quantum Field Theory
Quantum field theory
Quantum field theory provides a theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of systems classically parametrized by an infinite number of dynamical degrees of freedom, that is, fields and many-body systems. It is the natural and quantitative language of particle physics and...
in 1970. He worked as a researcher at the University of Wrocław, at first in the Institute of Physics, later in Mathematics. After 1973, he worked at the Wrocław Polytechnic.
In 1968 he took part in student strikes and demonstrations. After the repression of the student protests, together with a group of close friends he edited, printed and distributed pamphlets which denounced the communists government for their repressions against the protesting students.
Since 1979, together with Jan Waszkiewicz
Jan Waszkiewicz
Jan Waszkiewicz is a Polish politician and regional official, academic, and former marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
he became the editor of the Biuletyn Dolnośląski, an underground newspaper
Polish underground press
Polish underground press devoted to prohibited materials has a long history of combatting censorship of oppressive regimes in Poland...
. He was a delegate to the First National Congress of NSZZ Solidarity.
At the end of May, 1982, together with Paweł Falicki he founded the "Organization of Fighting Solidarity" which was a unique political opposition organization in Poland and the countries of the Soviet Bloc. This was because it was the only group which from the beginning of its existence called for an end to communism in Poland and other Soviet satellites, establishment of sovereign governments independent from Moscow in them, break up of the Soviet Union and separation of the USSR republics into new nation states, and reunification of Germany within its Potsdam imposed borders. While eventually all these things in fact happened, at the time this program was seen as quite radical and unrealistic, even in dissident circles.
However, Fighting Solidarity also rejected the use of violence to achieve its aims. After the declaration of martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in 1981, Morawiecki became one of the most wanted people in Poland. In 1984, on the directive of General Kiszczak a special team was created in the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Ministry of Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
Ministry of the Interior and Administration is an administration structure controlling main administration and security branches of the Polish government. Current Minister is Jerzy Miller.-History and function:...
charged with observing several dozen places in which the authorities thought he could show up.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, and imprisoned in Rakowiecka Prison. Despite his capture, none of his associates or those who hid him during the past six year, nor the archives of the organization were captured. At the end of April, 1988 he was given the opportunity by the communist authorities (who at the time were trying to get rid of "difficult" people) to travel to Rome for much needed medical treatment, and his right of return to Poland was guaranteed through mediation of the Catholic Church. After three days he attempted to come back to Poland but his passport was confiscated and he was deported from the airport in Warsaw to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He managed to illegally come back to Poland in September 1988, by pretending to be a Canadian human rights delegate.
After the fall of communism in Poland, Kornel registered his candidacy for the post of President of Poland in 1990, but in the end he was unable to collect the required 100,000 signatures. During his televised election campaign he symbolically turned over a round table, a reference to the Polish Round Table Agreement
Polish Round Table Agreement
The Polish Round Table Talks took place in Warsaw, Poland from February 6 to April 4, 1989. The government initiated the discussion with the banned trade union Solidarność and other opposition groups in an attempt to defuse growing social unrest.-History:...
which, he felt, compromised too much with the communists.
For his activism in support of an independent Poland, the Polish Government in Exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
under president Kazimierz Sabbat
Kazimierz Sabbat
Kazimierz Aleksander Sabbat , was President of Poland in Exile from 8 April 1986 until his death, 19 July 1989, after serving as Prime Minister of the Polish Government in Exile.-Early life:...
awarded him the Officer's Cross of Polonia Restituta
Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
(Order of Poland Reborn). In June 2007, on the 25th anniversary of Fighting Solidarity, he refused to accept from the President of Poland the Grand Cross of Polonia Restituta, arguing that the organization he represented deserved the highest possible state honor - the Order of the White Eagle. He was also awarded the Karel Kramář
Karel Kramár
Karel Kramář was a Czech politician.- Biography :Leader of the Young Czech Party in Austria-Hungary and later of the National Democratic Party in Czechoslovakia...
Medal by the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek
Mirek Topolánek
Mirek Topolánek is a former prime minister of the Czech Republic and former President of the European Council. A member of the Civic Democratic Party, he was chairman of the center-right party between November 2002 and March 2010, succeeding Václav Klaus, who was elected President in 2003.On 24...
, for his opposition in 1968 to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...
.
He was one of the candidates in the 2010 Polish presidential election, but got only 0.13% of votes and didn't get into the second round.
He is currently working at the Math Institute of the Wrocław University of Technology.