Kazimierz Pużak
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Kazimierz Pużak (1883–1950) was a Polish socialist politician of the
interwar In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
period. Active in the Polish Socialist Party, he was one of the leaders of the Polish Secret State and Polish resistance, sentenced by the
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
s in the infamous Trial of the Sixteen in 1945.


Biography

Born on 26 August 1883 in a family of Ukrainian origins in
Tarnopol Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret (river), Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia (Central Europe ...
, he studied law in Lwów University but dropped his studies to become a full-time political activist. He joined the Polish Socialist Party around 1904 and was the cofounder, together with
Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...
, of Polish Socialist Party - Revolutionary Faction (''Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Frakcja Rewolucyjna'') in 1905. A member of the Combat Organization of the Polish Socialist Party, in 1909 together with Henryk Minkiewicz he participated in the
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of a provocateur and police agent Edmund Taranowicz. In 1911 arrested by the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
government for activism in the Polish revolutionary and pro-independence movement, he was sentenced to 8 years of katorga and exile in Siberia afterwards. For a time he was imprisoned in Shlisselburg Fortress. He was released during the
Russian Revolution of 1917 The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...
, in which he briefly participated. Pużak returned to activism in the PPS after 1918, becoming one of its leading activists. From 1921 to 1939 he was the Secretary General of the Central Executive Committee of PPS. He served as one of the secretaries in the government of
Jędrzej Moraczewski Jędrzej Edward Moraczewski (; 13 January 1870 – 5 August 1944) was a Polish socialist politician who, loyal to Józef Piłsudski and viewed as acceptable by both left- and right-wing Polish political factions, served as the second Prime Minis ...
and became known—despite his socialist background—as a relative conservative, opposing some of most radical demands of the workers (supported by the
communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...
). He opposed the escalation of the Polish-Soviet War, and supported the Silesian Uprisings. Elected as a deputy to
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' ...
(Polish parliament) in all elections from 1919 to 1935, first from Zagłębie Dąbrowskie region, later from
Częstochowa Częstochowa ( , ) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not Si ...
, he often negotiated with the workers in those regions and supported their strikes. He participated in underground Polish political life in
occupied Poland ' (Norwegian language, Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV 2 (Norway), TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1939 Pużak became one of the founders of the underground Polish Socialist Party (''Polska Partia Socjalistyczna''), the PPS-WRN (''Polish Socialist Party - Liberty Equality Independence'' or ''Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Wolność, Równość, Niepodległość''). He was commander-in-chief of Gwardia Ludowa WRN (''People's Guard WRN'') which was the military organization of the PPS. He was PPS representative in the underground Main Political Council (''Główna Rada Polityczna''). Since 1940 he was a member of the Political Consultative Committee (''Polityczny Komitet Porozumiewawczy'') at Union of Armed Struggle (''Związek Walki Zbrojnej, ZWZ''). He was head of the Council of National Unity (''Rada Jedności Narodowej'') since 1944. He played a decisive role in formulating the programmatic declaration "What the Polish nation is fighting for?", strongly opposing any cooperation with the
communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...
. In May 1944 nominated for vice-president, but he declined, refusing to leave Poland. During the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising (; ), sometimes referred to as the August Uprising (), or the Battle of Warsaw, was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from ...
(August 1–October 1, 1944)—which he criticized before it was started—Pużak was in
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
. After the capitulation of the capital, he left the city together with the civil population and continued his underground activities. After the Soviet forces drove the Germans from Polish territories,
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...
general Ivan Serov invited Polish underground leaders for negotiations to discuss the aftermath of the Yalta Agreement. Pużak suspected deceit but nonetheless decided to attend to show the willingness of the resistance to work within the Yalta framework. He was promptly arrested by the Soviets, together with fifteen other Polish leaders. In the Trial of the Sixteen, which took place in
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
in 1945, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Released in November 1945 after an amnesty, he refused to emigrate and instead elected to stay in Poland and continue his activity in the anti-communist opposition. During that time, he wrote his memoirs (''Wspomnienia 1939-1945'', published in Paris in 1977). Pużak was again arrested by the
Urząd Bezpieczeństwa The Ministry of Public Security (), was the secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage agency operating in the Polish People's Republic. From 1945 to 1954 it was known as the Security Office (, UB), and from 1956 to 1990 as the Security ...
in 1947 and 1948. After another
show trial A show trial is a public trial in which the guilt (law), guilt or innocence of the defendant has already been determined. The purpose of holding a show trial is to present both accusation and verdict to the public, serving as an example and a d ...
against leaders of the PPS-WRN, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, which was later reduced to five years' imprisonment. Pużak died in prison in
Rawicz Rawicz (; ) is a town in west-central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants as of 2004. It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999); previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Rawicz County. History The ...
on April 30, 1950, and was secretly buried in Powązki Cemetery. During World War II, he was awarded with
Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', ) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was established in 1792 by the last King of Poland Stanislaus II of Poland, ...
(V class) and
posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...
with the Armia Krajowa Cross by the
Polish government in exile The Polish government-in-exile, officially known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile (), was the government in exile A government-in-exile (GiE) is a political group that claims to be the legitimate government of a sovere ...
. In post-communist Poland in 1996, he was posthumously decorated with the Order of the White Eagle.


Notes


References

*
KAZIMIERZ PUŻAK
bio at Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego *

*

* Waldemar Chamala

* WIEM Encyklopedia
Kazimierz Pużak
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puzak, Kazimierz 1883 births 1950 deaths Politicians from Ternopil People from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Polish Socialist Party politicians Members of the Legislative Sejm of the Second Polish Republic Members of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic (1922–1927) Members of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic (1928–1930) Members of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic (1930–1935) Warsaw Uprising insurgents Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari Recipients of the Armia Krajowa Cross Polish deportees to Soviet Union Polish people detained by the NKVD Prisoners who died in Polish People's Republic detention Burials at Powązki Cemetery Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)