Andrzej Butkiewicz
Encyclopedia
Andrzej Butkiewicz was a political activist opposing Communism
in Poland during the 1970s and 1980s, imprisoned for his role in the Solidarity movement.
He was active in distributing underground news and literature and held underground meetings and classes of the "Flying University" at his apartment in Gdańsk
. During this period, he was interrogated and arrested several times by the police. In March 1980, he lost his job at the Gdańsk port because of his anti-government activities.
During the strikes in August 1980, Butkiewicz headed the printing office in the Gdynia Shipyard.
The flyers and press releases from that printing office kept Gdańsk and the whole nation informed about the goals of the strike and its progress. These strikes were the birth of the independent trade union Solidarity. Butkiewicz was an active organizer and head of the union's printing office.
He worked with trade unions from the West to establish free press offices throughout Poland.
On 13 December 1981, martial law
was declared by the Communist authorities in Poland; Butkiewicz, along with other Solidarity activists, was imprisoned. Butkiewicz's cellmate, Lech Kaczyński
, later became President of Poland. When Butkiewicz was released from prison in 1982, he was forced to leave Poland with his wife and two young children; his third child was born in Boston. He settled in the Boston area, working in printing, and raised his family, but never cut off his ties with Poland.
Andrzej died of a heart attack at his home in Norton, Massachusetts
on Friday, March 7, 2008. He was 53.
On 9 March 2008, President of Poland Lech Kaczyński posthumously awarded Butkiewicz the Knight's Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in Poland during the 1970s and 1980s, imprisoned for his role in the Solidarity movement.
Biography
In 1977, as a student of economy at the University of Gdańsk, Butkiewicz co-founded the Student Committee of Solidarity (Polish: Studencki Komitet Solidarności), a student organization opposing the Communist regime. His activities led to his expulsion from the university. Despite political pressure from the secret police, Butkiewicz continued his activism.He was active in distributing underground news and literature and held underground meetings and classes of the "Flying University" at his apartment in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
. During this period, he was interrogated and arrested several times by the police. In March 1980, he lost his job at the Gdańsk port because of his anti-government activities.
During the strikes in August 1980, Butkiewicz headed the printing office in the Gdynia Shipyard.
The flyers and press releases from that printing office kept Gdańsk and the whole nation informed about the goals of the strike and its progress. These strikes were the birth of the independent trade union Solidarity. Butkiewicz was an active organizer and head of the union's printing office.
He worked with trade unions from the West to establish free press offices throughout Poland.
On 13 December 1981, martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
was declared by the Communist authorities in Poland; Butkiewicz, along with other Solidarity activists, was imprisoned. Butkiewicz's cellmate, Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
, later became President of Poland. When Butkiewicz was released from prison in 1982, he was forced to leave Poland with his wife and two young children; his third child was born in Boston. He settled in the Boston area, working in printing, and raised his family, but never cut off his ties with Poland.
Andrzej died of a heart attack at his home in Norton, Massachusetts
Norton, Massachusetts
Norton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, and contains the village of Norton Center. The population was 18,036 at the 2000 census...
on Friday, March 7, 2008. He was 53.
On 9 March 2008, President of Poland Lech Kaczyński posthumously awarded Butkiewicz the Knight's Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland.