Maciej Giertych facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maciej Marian Giertych
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| Member of the European Parliament for Poland |
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| In office 2004–2009 |
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| Born | 24 March 1936 Warsaw, Poland |
| Political party | League of Polish Families |
| Spouse | Antonina Giertych née Jachink |
| Alma mater | Oxford University, University of Toronto |
Maciej Marian Giertych (born 24 March 1936 in Warsaw) is a Polish scientist who studies trees, called a dendrologist. He is also a politician from the League of Polish Families (LPR) party. He believes the government should play a big role in the economy.
Mr. Giertych was a member of the Polish Parliament, known as the Sejm, from 2001 to 2004. He then became a Polish member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009. In 2005, he ran for president of Poland but later stopped his campaign. He is also known for his views on creationism, stating he disagrees with the theory of evolution based on science, not religion.
Contents
Maciej Giertych: Early Life and Education
Maciej Giertych was born in Warsaw, Poland, on March 24, 1936. His father, Jędrzej Giertych, was a well-known writer and politician. Maciej was one of nine children. Two of his sisters became nuns, and his brother Wojciech became a famous theologian in Rome.
In late 1945, his family moved from Poland to the United Kingdom. In 1954, Maciej went to Oxford University. There, he started a club for Polish students. He earned degrees in forestry, which is the science of managing forests.
Between 1958 and 1962, he studied at the University of Toronto in Canada. He earned his PhD, which is a very high academic degree, for his research on how trees grow and function.
Maciej Giertych: Scientific Career
In 1962, Mr. Giertych returned to Poland. He continued his scientific work at the Institute of Dendrology. This institute is part of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In 1964, he married Antonina Jachnik.
In 1970, he earned another high academic degree called a Habilitation. This was for his studies on how traits are passed down in forests, known as forest genetics. From 1976, he taught at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. He has written over 200 scientific papers, mostly about forests.
He became a member of the Forest Sciences Committee in 1976. In 1981, he became an associate professor. By 1989, he was a full professor.
Maciej Giertych: Political Journey
In 1986, Mr. Giertych joined an advisory group in Poland. This group included both government officials and people who disagreed with the government at the time. He supported the leader of the communist government, Wojciech Jaruzelski. He also supported the friendship between Poland and the Soviet Union.
After the communist government ended in 1990, Mr. Giertych continued his scientific work. From 1993 to 2000, he advised the Ministry of Environmental Affairs. He also joined a small political party called the National Party of Poland. Most members of this party later joined the League of Polish Families (LPR).
On September 23, 2001, Mr. Giertych was elected to the Polish Parliament. Then, on June 16, 2004, he became a Member of the European Parliament for the LPR party. He comes from a family with a history in Polish politics. His son, Roman Giertych, also led the LPR party in the past.
Maciej Giertych: Political Beliefs
Maciej Giertych has strong political views. He was against allowing foreigners to buy land in Poland. He also disagreed with Poland joining the European Union. He believed Poland should have stronger ties with countries in Eastern Europe, like Russia. He also wanted to protect Polish businesses from what he saw as unfair practices by Western companies.
In 2007, Mr. Giertych published a brochure that caused a lot of discussion. The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, officially criticized him for the content of this publication. The President stated that the brochure went against basic human rights and dignity.
Maciej Giertych: Views on Creationism
Mr. Giertych supports creationism. This is the belief that God created the universe and all life. He is an honorary member of a creationist group in the United Kingdom.
He has explained that his views on evolution changed over time. He started by believing in evolution but later became doubtful. In 2006, he said that he is a scientist and a geneticist. He stated that his doubts about the theory of evolution come from his scientific understanding, not from religious reasons.
In 2006, Mr. Giertych led a seminar in Brussels for members of the European Parliament. The seminar discussed teaching evolutionary theory in schools. In 2008, he appeared in a movie called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. In the film, he talked about his views on the theory of evolution.
See also
- 2005 Polish presidential election
- Radio Maryja
