Bogusław Śliwa (1944-1989) - działacz opozycji demokratycznej i "Solidarności" w Kaliszu
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Date
2016
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Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
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Bogusław Śliwa was born in Lvov on 6 October 1944. He graduated in law studies at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań in 1969. Following the completion of his prosecutor’s apprenticeship he worked, among
others, in Wolsztyn, Świebodzin and – from 1975 – in Kalisz. On 22 August 1978 Śliwa was fired from the
public prosecutor’s office because he had attempted to detect a person who murdered during the robbery
committed by a Civic Militia officer. That time he established and maintained close contacts with activists of
the Workers’ Defence Committee (KOR), among others: Jacek Kuroń, Mirosław Chojecki, Adam Michnik,
Bronisław Geremek, Jan Lityński, Zofia Romaszewska and Zbigniew Romaszewski. In 1978 he began to
cooperate with the Kalisz group of the Movement for the Defence of Human and Civil Rights (ROPCiO). In
the early 1979 this group started to publish “Wolne Słowo” in which Śliwa was a co-editor. On 28 June 1979
in Poznań he was involved in founding the Social Self-Defence Club of the Wielkopolska and Kujawy Region.
In September 1980, during strikes at the FWR “Runotex” and KZKS “Winiary” in Kalisz Śliwa was an
expert representing the workers. On 29 September of that year, he arranged in Kalisz a meeting of representatives and delegates of enterprises in Kalisz aimed at appointing the Board of the Inter-Enterprise Founding Committee of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union. He became the secretary. Bogusław Śliwa also engaged in setting up and developing an information team. He was informally responsible for developing an information and printing base. Bogusław Śliwa set up “NSZZ Solidarność” magazine where he published his own articles. He also founded the “Solidarność” Workers’ Community Centre in Kalisz. it is noteworthy that it was the only community centre in Poland established by „Solidarność”. In December the Nationwide Liaison Commission of „Solidarność” appointed him to the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners
of Conscience established on 10 December of that year. He participated in the information meeting of the
Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Independent Farmers “Solidarność Wiejska” held in Staw, in
Szczytniki commune. During that meeting “Solidarność Wiejska” led by Mieczysław Walczykiewicz requested
the authorities to liquidate the “Świt” Agricultural Production Cooperative in Cieszyków, in Szczytniki
commune. Bogusław Śliwa was involved in this successful event. It was the first liquidation of cooperative
in Poland. On 11 January 1981 Śliwa co-organized the 1st Regional Convention of „Solidarność” Wiejska in
Kalisz. Following the so-called Bydgoszcz events of 19 March 1981 he advocated the general strike. Due to
his attitude, Śliwa was listed as one of 146 „Solidarność” activists executed by the 3rd “A” Department of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the authorities those activists presented radical views. On 30 June
1981 at the 1st General Delegates Convention of the Kaliskie province, Śliwa, as a delegate of the Kaliskie
province, was appointed to the Regional Board of „Solidarność” – Southern Wielkopolska. In July Śliwa set
up in Kalisz the underground branch of the Polish Democratic Party. In 1981 Śliwa was a delegate to the
1st National Delegates Convention of „Solidarność” and co-edited with Jan Lityński the document entitled:
“Message to the Working People of Eastern Europe” originated by Henryk Siciński and adopted by the 1st
National Delegates Convention. On 22 November he participated in the Warsaw-held meeting founding the
Self-Governing Republic Clubs “Liberty – Equality– Independence” and signed the founding declaration. On
28 of that month he co-organized with Antoni Pietkiewicz a founding meeting of the Club in Kalisz. When
martial law was declared he began to hide in Kalisz. Śliwa was arrested on 25 February 1982 and interned
in Ostrów Wielkopolski and then in Gębarzew and Kwidzyn. After being released on 25 November 1982, he
was immediately involved in the activity of the underground movement of „Solidarność”. He edited the first
two issues of “Nasza Solidarność” magazine published in Kalisz. Śliwa co-invented and co-organized the 1st
May march that was independent from the authorities’ one held in Kalisz in 1983. Consequently, he was temporarily arrested and detained in Ostrów Wielkopolski. On 7 June 1983 he was released from custody. The
amnesty declared on 21 July 1983 caused that the investigation against him was discontinued. In July of the
same year he co-founded the Inter-Regional Coordination Commission of the Independent Self-Governing
Trade Union “Solidarność” Kalisz-Konin-Sieradz. As he could not find any work and he and his family were
exposed to psychological harassment, he emigrated to Sweden on 30 December 1983. He worked, among
other positions, as bookbinder. He was the board secretary of the Congress of Poles in Sweden. In 1984 he
commented the death of priest Jerzy Popiełuszko in “Dagens Nyheter” daily. He was also interviewed by
Radio Liberty. Śliwa commenced cooperating with representatives of the „Solidarność” Coordination Office
in Paris, Brussels and Stockholm. On 18 April 1985 the Military Garrison Prosecutor’s Office in Wrocław
initiated investigations against Śliwa, charging him with activities detrimental to political interests of the
People’s Republic of Poland. Subsequently, on 10 July 1985 this public prosecutor’s office decided to issue
an arrest warrant for him. On the same day the public prosecutor suspended criminal proceedings against
him. In December 1985, after the courageous escape of two brothers, Adam and Krzysztof Zieliński, from
Poland to Sweden, he helped them prevent their deportation and stay in their new homeland. He expressed
his opinion on this issue on Swedish television and in “ Dagens Nyheter” daily. His intervention helped
them legally stay in Sweden. In 1989 he arrived in Poland. During this short visit he met and talked with his
colleagues from the so-called first „Solidarność”. Bogusław Śliwa died in Stockholm on 23 November 1989.
He was buried there on 7 December 1989. On 18 October 2006 he was posthumously honoured by Lech
Kaczynski, President of Poland, with the Order of Polonis Restitution. On 15 June 2007 Bogusław Śliwa was
posthumously granted the title of an Honorary Citizen of Kalisz by the Town Council of Kalisz.
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Keywords
Bogusław Śliwa, opozycja, KSS "KOR", Kalisz, Solidarność, Wielkopolska Południowa
Citation
Krzysztof Brzechczyn (red.), Solidarność 1980-1981 w kraju i w Wielkopolsce. Szkice do portretu. Poznań: IPN 2016, s. 196-222.
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ISBN
ISSN
978-83-63275-26-6