Leszek Moczulski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leszek Moczulski
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Moczulski in c. 1979
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| Member of Sejm | |
| In office 14 October 1993 – 19 October 1997 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 June 1930 Warsaw, Poland |
| Died | 10 October 2024 (aged 94) Warsaw, Poland |
| Political party | Confederation of Independent Poland |
Robert Leszek Moczulski (born 7 June 1930 – died 10 October 2024) was a Polish historian and politician. He was a member of different groups in Poland. He was known for his work both as a writer about history and as a leader in politics.
Early Life and Education
Leszek Moczulski was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 7 June 1930. After World War II, when the Communist government took power in Poland, Moczulski joined some youth groups. In 1947, he became part of the Association of Fighting Youth. The next year, he joined the Polish Workers' Party and the ZMP youth organization. From 1950, he was a member of the Polish United Workers' Party (PUWP).
Moczulski studied at several universities. In 1951, he finished his studies at the Academy of Political Studies. This school trained people for government roles. The next year, he also graduated from the Law and Journalism departments at Warsaw University. He finished his education in 1958, getting a degree in history from the same university. Around this time, he started working as a journalist. He wrote for different newspapers and magazines in Warsaw, like Życie Warszawy and Stolica.
Political Career
As a historian, Moczulski mainly studied the modern history of Poland. This included the history of the Polish Defensive War in 1939.
In the late 1970s, Moczulski became involved in groups that were against the Communist government. He helped start the Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights and was its spokesperson. Later, he created the Confederation of Independent Poland on 1 September 1979. This was an important step in the fight for a free Poland.
As a politician, Moczulski looked to earlier Polish political ideas. He focused on how Poland's economy could change from a government-controlled system to a free market system. One of his notable actions was in 1985. He asked the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States to help Poland have free elections. Because of his actions, Moczulski was arrested many times. He was held in prison as a political prisoner.
After the Round Table Talks, Poland began a peaceful change from Communist rule to a democratic government. Moczulski did not fully agree with this agreement. He wanted a stronger break from the past. He supported the idea of decommunization, which meant removing all parts of the old Communist system. He also stayed separate from the Solidarity movement.
In 1990, he ran for president of Poland. He received 2.50% of the votes. In 1991, he became a member of the Sejm, which is the Polish parliament. He kept his seat after the 1993 elections. During his time in parliament, he led several important committees. These included committees for foreign policies and for supporting Poles living abroad. He also worked on the new constitution for Poland.
Moczulski also ran for president again in 1995 but later withdrew. In 1997, a special law called the Lustration Act was passed. This law looked into people's past actions during the Communist era. Moczulski himself asked a court to investigate his past. The court found that he had not been open about some of his activities from 1969 to 1977. This decision led to the end of his political career.
Death
Leszek Moczulski passed away in Warsaw on 10 October 2024. He was 94 years old.
