Roman Zambrowski

Roman Zambrowski
Member of the Politburo of the Polish United Worker's Party
In office 1948–1963
Minister of State Control
In office 16 April 1955 – 24 October 1956
Preceded by	Franciszek Jóźwiak
Succeeded by	Jan Górecki
Deputy Marshal of the Sejm
In office 4 February 1947 – 4 August 1952
Personal details
Born	23 December 1913 Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire (today Poland)
Died	19 August 1977(1977-08-19) (aged 68) Warsaw, Poland
Resting place	Powązki Military Cemetery
Citizenship	Poland
Nationality	Polish Jewish
Political party	Polish United Worker's Party
Military service
Allegiance	Polish People's Republic
Branch/service	Polish People's Army
Years of service	1943-1945
Rank	Pułkownik (Colonel)
Battles/wars	Second World War

Roman Zambrowski (15 July 1909 – 19 August 1977) was a Polish communist politician.^[1]

Career

Zambrowski was born into a Jewish family in Warsaw. He was a member of the Communist Party of Poland (1928–1938) and of the Central Committee of the Young Communist League of Poland (1930–1938). During World War II in the Soviet Union, he was one of the main organisers and leaders of the Union of Polish Patriots (ZPP) from 1943 and of the Central Bureau Communists of Poland (CBKP) in 1944. He was the head of the Political and Educational Leadership of the First Polish Army (1944–1945).^[2]

From 1944, Zambrowski was a member and one of the leaders of the Polish Workers' Party (PPR) and then, from 1948 to 1968, of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR). He was in the PZPR's Central Committee (1948–1964) and held the office of the secretary of the Central Committee (1948–1954 and 1956–1963). He was in the PZPR's Politburo from 1948 to 1963. In 1956, he was a leader of the faction in the PZPR known as Puławianie. Zambrowski was a deputy in the State National Council (1944–1947) and then in the Sejm (1947–1965), where he was Deputy-marshal of the Sejm (1947–1952). In 1945–1954, he was the chairman of a special commission for combating economically harmful activities and misconduct; in 1963–1968 vice-president of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK).^[2]

Zambrowski was accused of inspiring the 1968 Polish political crisis and of Zionist affiliations; in 1968 he was expelled from the PZPR and removed from the vice-presidency of the NIK.^[2]

Later life and legacy

He is the father of journalist Antoni Zambrowski. Antoni Zambrowski died in 2019.

A collection of Zambrowski's journals and other writings about Poland and Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza are held in the collection of the Hoover Institution.^[3]

Awards and decorations

• Order of the Banner of Labour, 1st Class (1959)^[4]
• Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (22 July 1947)^[5]
• Silver Medal for Merit on the Field of Glory (11 November 1943)
• Medal for Warsaw 1939–1945 (17 January 1946)^[6]
• Order of the Red Star (USSR, 11 November 1943)

See also

• Puławianie
• 1968 Polish political crisis
• Leon Kasman

References

1. Jacobs, Jack (2017-03-24). Jews and Leftist Politics: Judaism, Israel, Antisemitism, and Gender. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107047860.
2. "Zambrowski Roman". WIEM Encyklopedia (in Polish). Retrieved 2007-10-08.
3. "Roman Zambrowski papers". Online Archive of California. Hoover Institution. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
4. "The Highest Awards for Distinguished Citizens of the People's Republic of Poland". Trybuna Robotnicza (in Polish). 22 July 1959. p. 7.
5. M.P. z 1948 r. Nr 17, poz. 59 („For outstanding achievements in state and social work in the first period of reconstruction of the Reborn Republic of Poland”).
6. M.P. z 1946 r. Nr 26, poz. 43 ("On the first anniversary of the liberation of Warsaw to those who distinguished themselves in the fight for the liberation and reconstruction of the Capital City (...)").