Ryszard Józef Musielak (born 6 September 1950,

Szubin Szubin (german: Schubin) is a town in Nakło County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, located southwest of Bydgoszcz. It has a population of around 9,300. It is located in the ethnocultural region of Pałuki. History The first record o ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

), was formerly one of the leaders of the Polish

Solidarity ''Solidarity'' is an awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes. It is based on class collaboration.''Merriam Webster'', http://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti ...

union in

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

. Currently one of the leaders of the local branch of

Committee for the Defence of Democracy The Committee for the Defence of Democracy, CDD ( pl, Komitet Obrony Demokracji, ''KOD'') is a Polish-born civic organization and NGO which among its goals includes promoting the European values, especially democracy, rule of law, and huma ...

. He led the strike and the emerging trade union structures in the "Toral" factory in Toruń. Later on he was elected to a member of Toruń's

union management. During the

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

Musielak was arrested and he spent a year in prisons in

Potulice Potulice (german: Potulitz) (previously also ''Kantów'') is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nakło nad Notecią, within Nakło County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately south-e ...

and

Strzebielinek Strzebielinek is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Gniewino, within Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Gniewino, north-west of Wejherowo, and north-west of the re ...

. After leaving jail in December 1982, he continued his activities for the Polish anti-communist opposition. As one of his tasks, he was responsible for a periodic magazine ''TIS'', printed illegally by the union in Toruń. After the breakthrough in 1989 he was elected a president of Solidarity District Toruń, leading the organization for 2 years (1989–1991).

Personal life

He has a wife Irena and a son, Borys (from a previous marriage). On 12 December 2009, Musielak was awarded the Commander's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta , image=Polonia Restituta - Commander's Cross pre-1939 w rib.jpg , image_size=200px , caption=Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta , presenter = the President of Poland , country = , type=Five classes , eligibility=All , awar ...

by President

Lech Kaczynski Lech may refer to: People * Lech (name), a name of Polish origin * Lech, the legendary founder of Poland * Lech (Bohemian prince) Products and organizations * Lech (beer), Polish beer produced by Kompania Piwowarska, in Poznań * Lech Poznań ...

References

External links

Rotary Club Toruń
{{DEFAULTSORT:Musielak, Ryszard Polish democracy activists Polish dissidents Polish trade unionists Solidarity (Polish trade union) activists Toruń 1950 births Living people People from Nakło County Recipient of the Meritorious Activist of Culture badge

Personal life

See also

References

External links