Władysław Kowalski (26 August 1894 – 14 December 1958) was a Polish communist politician, writer and journalist who served as the Minister of Art and Culture and the Sejm Marshal during the first postwar parliament Sejm of the Polish People's Republic (1947–1952) and, in his capacity as Sejm Marshal, ex officio, as the acting head of state (Acting President of the State National Council) for one day (4–5 February 1947). He was also a publisher and writer.
Kowalski was also known by the pseudonyms Sałas, Bartłomiej Zarychta and Stanisławski.
Life
Władysław Kowalski was born in a small village of Paprotnia near Rawa Mazowiecka (then Russian Empire, now east-central Poland) as a son of farm worker. Because of his family poverty, he graduated just three school grades and later became an autodidact.[1] During World War I he fought in the Imperial Russian Army and later in the Puławy Legion. From 1918 to 1939 in the Second Polish Republic he was an active writer and publisher.
He was member of various peasants parties before he became a communist, including the Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie" (since 1918), the Peasant's Independent Party (1925–1927), United People's Left "Samopomoc" (1927–1931), and People's Party (1944–1949 – various factions). He was also an active member of the Communist Party of Poland (since 1928) and Polish Workers' Party (since 1942).
Kowalski was a longtime member of party leaderships:
1926–1927: Member of the Central Committee of the PIP
1944–1945: Vice President of the SL "Wola"
1945–1949: Member of the Supreme Council of the SL
1948–1949: SL Leader
Since 1949: Member of the United People's Party leadership and, from 1949 to 1956 Chairman of the Committee
