Bogdan Lis
Encyclopedia
Bogdan Lis is a Polish politician, known for his involvement with the anti-communist Solidarity social movement
.
Born in Gdańsk
in 1952, he worked in Port of Gdańsk
and Elmor company. Between 1971 and 1972 he was imprisoned for his participation in the anti-governmental coastal cities protests
. Although in 1975 he joined the Polish United Workers Party, in 1978 he was one of the founders of the anti-government Free Trade Unions of the Coast
(Wolne Związki Zawodowe Wybrzeża). In mid-1980 he organized the strike
in Elmor, and took part in the creation of the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
(Międzyzakładowy Komitet Strajkowy) and soon afterwards, together with Lech Wałęsa
and others, of the NSZZ Solidarity itself (he was the vice chair of the Founding Committee of Solidarity).
After martial law in Poland
in December 1981 led to the arrests of many Solidarity members, including Wałęsa, Lis went into hiding and in underground became one of the leaders of the Temporary Coordinating Committee (Tymczasowa Komisja Koordynacyjna), which served as an underground leadership of Solidarity. In that organization Lis was responsible for cooperation between Solidarity and its foreign supporters. He was arrested in June 1984, accused of treason
but released half a year later after amnesty
was given to many imprisoned Solidarity activists. He was arrested again in February 1985 and released in September 1986 after another amnesty. In 1986 he became a member of now legal Temporary Council of NSZZ Solidarność (Tymczasowa Rada NSZZ Solidarność), and in 1987 of Country Executive Committee of NSZZ Solidarność (Krajowa Komisja Wykonawcza NSZZ Solidarność). In 1988 he was a participant of the Polish Round Table Agreement
, and was elected to the Senate of Poland
in the Polish legislative elections, 1989.
After Polish parliamentary election, 1991
he distanced himself from national politics and started business
career, although he was still active in local political arena in Gdańsk. He joined the Polish Freedom Union
Party (Unia Wolności) in 1997. As of 2007, he is a member of the UW successor Democratic Party-demokraci.pl.
He is currently CEO of a private firm, member of the Advisory Council of Freedom Union Party, and President of the Solidarity Centre Foundation.
After 2007 elections, he become member of the Polish Sejm
.
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
.
Born 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...
in 1952, he worked in Port of Gdańsk
Port of Gdansk
The Port of Gdańsk is a seaport located on the southern coast of Gdańsk Bay in the city of Gdańsk, extending along the Vistula estuary Martwa Wisła , Port Channel and Kashubia Canal. It is one of the largest seaports on the Baltic Sea....
and Elmor company. Between 1971 and 1972 he was imprisoned for his participation in the anti-governmental coastal cities protests
Polish 1970 protests
The Polish 1970 protests were protests that occurred in northern Poland in December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase of prices of food and other everyday items...
. Although in 1975 he joined the Polish United Workers Party, in 1978 he was one of the founders of the anti-government Free Trade Unions of the Coast
Free Trade Unions of the Coast
Free Trade Unions of the Coast were a government-independent trade union in the People's Republic of Poland.This trade union was founded in Gdańsk on 29 April 1978 by Andrzej Gwiazda, Krzysztof Wyszkowski and Antoni Sokołowski...
(Wolne Związki Zawodowe Wybrzeża). In mid-1980 he organized the strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in Elmor, and took part in the creation of the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee was an action strike committee formed in Gdańsk Shipyard, People's Republic of Poland on 16 August 1980...
(Międzyzakładowy Komitet Strajkowy) and soon afterwards, together with Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
and others, of the NSZZ Solidarity itself (he was the vice chair of the Founding Committee of Solidarity).
After martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in December 1981 led to the arrests of many Solidarity members, including Wałęsa, Lis went into hiding and in underground became one of the leaders of the Temporary Coordinating Committee (Tymczasowa Komisja Koordynacyjna), which served as an underground leadership of Solidarity. In that organization Lis was responsible for cooperation between Solidarity and its foreign supporters. He was arrested in June 1984, accused of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
but released half a year later after amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
was given to many imprisoned Solidarity activists. He was arrested again in February 1985 and released in September 1986 after another amnesty. In 1986 he became a member of now legal Temporary Council of NSZZ Solidarność (Tymczasowa Rada NSZZ Solidarność), and in 1987 of Country Executive Committee of NSZZ Solidarność (Krajowa Komisja Wykonawcza NSZZ Solidarność). In 1988 he was a participant of the Polish Round Table Agreement
Polish Round Table Agreement
The Polish Round Table Talks took place in Warsaw, Poland from February 6 to April 4, 1989. The government initiated the discussion with the banned trade union Solidarność and other opposition groups in an attempt to defuse growing social unrest.-History:...
, and was elected to the Senate of Poland
Senate of Poland
The Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
in the Polish legislative elections, 1989.
After Polish parliamentary election, 1991
Polish parliamentary election, 1991
The Polish parliamentary election in 1991 to the Sejm and the Senate of Poland was held on October 27. In the Sejm elections, 27,517,280 citizens were eligible to vote, 11,887,949 of them cast their votes, 11,218,602 of those were counted as valid. In the Senate elections, 43.2% of citizens cast...
he distanced himself from national politics and started business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
career, although he was still active in local political arena in Gdańsk. He joined the Polish Freedom Union
Freedom Union
Freedom Union can refer to one of the following liberal parties:*For Czech republic, see Freedom Union *For the Faroe Islands, see Freedom Union *For Poland, see Freedom Union...
Party (Unia Wolności) in 1997. As of 2007, he is a member of the UW successor Democratic Party-demokraci.pl.
He is currently CEO of a private firm, member of the Advisory Council of Freedom Union Party, and President of the Solidarity Centre Foundation.
After 2007 elections, he become member of the Polish Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
.
External links
- Interview with Bogdan Lis Offline as of 15 April 2006, try Googla Cache or Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...