Czesław Wycech (20 July 1899 – 26 May 1977) was a Polish activist, politician and historian. He was a member of the Polish peasant's parties: the Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie", the People's Party, the

Polish People's Party The Polish People's Party (, PSL) is a conservative political party in Poland. It is currently led by Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Its history traces back to 1895, when it held the name People's Party, although its name was changed to the pre ...

, and the United People's Party. During World War II he was a member of the

Polish Underground State The Polish Underground State (, also known as the Polish Secret State) was a single political and military entity formed by the union of resistance organizations in occupied Poland that were loyal to the Government of the Republic of Poland ...

, responsible for organizing underground education. He was the Minister of Education in the Council of National Unity (1945–1947). Within the People's Republic of Poland, he was a member of the Polish parliament (

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

) and also held other governmental posts.

Biography

Wycech was born to a peasant family on 20 July 1899 in Wilczogęby. A teacher by profession, he graduated from the Teacher's Institute in Warsaw in 1926. He was involved with the peasant movement from around 1917 to 1919;Jerzy Jan Lerski, Piotr Wróbel, Richard J. Kozicki, ''Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966-1945'', Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996,
Google Print, p.667
/ref>Czesław Wycech 1899-1977
Muzeum Historii Polskiego Ruchu Ludowego around that time he joined the Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie" (PSL "Wyzwolenie") and in 1931, the People's Party (SL).Wycech Czesław
in WIEM Encyklopedia He joined the

(PSL) post-World War II in 1945 which by 1949 had become the United People's Party (ZSL). From 1946 until 1971 he was one of the top leaders of PSL and ZSL. Wycech was an educational activist; during World War II he was an important participant in the underground education in occupied Poland. He was one of the founders of the Secret Teaching Organization (''Tajna Organizacja Nauczycielska'') in 1939; he later became a member of the

and he was the President of the Department of Culture and Education in the Government Delegation for Poland from 1940 until 1945. He was the President of the Association of Polish Teachers (ZNP) from 1944 until 1945 and from 1945 to 1947, he was the Minister of Education in the Council of National Unity. He was a deputy chairman of the

Polish Council of State The Council of State of the Polish People's Republic, Republic of Poland () was introduced by the Small Constitution of 1947 as an organ of executive (government), executive power. The Council of State consisted of the President of Poland, Presid ...

from 1956 until 1957. From 1944 to 1971 he was member of the Polish parliament (

, earlier the

State National Council Krajowa Rada Narodowa in Polish language, Polish (translated as State National Council or Homeland National Council, abbreviated to KRN) was a parliament-like political body created during the later stages of World War II in Nazi Germany, German- ...

). From 1957 to 1971 he was the Marshal of the Sejm. In 1959 he was decorated with the Order of the Builders of People's Poland for his contributions to peasant studies, development and education.

Works

* Nauczycielstwo w walce o demokrację (1947) * Materiały do dziejów ruchu ludowego (1949) * Z przeszłości ruchów chłopskich, 1768-1861 (1952) * Ks. Piotr Ściegienny (1953) * Powstanie chłopskie w roku 1846 (1955) * 60 lat ruchu ludowego (1957) * Podstawowe zagadnienia społeczno-polityczne ruchu ludowego (1958) * Polityczna myśl ludowa w świetle programów stronnictw chłopskich (1959) * Aktualne zadania polityczne i organizacyjne zjednoczonego Stronnictwa Ludowego (1962) * Społeczna gospodarka rolna w polskiej myśli politycznej (1963) * Z dziejów tajnej oświaty w latach okupacji 1939-1945 (1964) * Wincenty Witos w świetle własnej twórczości pisarskiej (1966) * Towarzystwo Oświaty Demokratycznej «Nowe Tory» 1931-1939 (1966)

Awards and decorations

POL Order Budowniczych Polski Ludowej BAR

Order of the Builders of People's Poland (1959) * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

(1955) *

Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland (1955) * Badge of the 1000th Anniversary of the Polish State (1963) * Cordone di gran Croce OMRI BAR

Knight Grand Cross of

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...

(Italy, 1965)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wycech, Czeslaw 1899 births 1977 deaths People from Węgrów County People from Siedlce Governorate Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie" politicians People's Party (Poland) politicians Polish People's Party (1945–1949) politicians United People's Party (Poland) politicians Education ministers of Poland Government ministers of Poland Members of the State National Council Members of the Polish Sejm 1947–1952 Members of the Polish Sejm 1952–1956 Members of the Polish Sejm 1957–1961 Members of the Polish Sejm 1961–1965 Members of the Polish Sejm 1965–1969 Members of the Polish Sejm 1969–1972 Marshals of the Sejm Polish male writers Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Order of the Builders of People's Poland Burials at Powązki Military Cemetery Recipients of the Medal of the 10th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland