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Wladyslaw Gomulka

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World Leader

The Resume

    (February 6, 1905-September 1, 1982)
    Born in Krosno, Poland
    First Secretary of the Polish United Workers Party (1943-48, 1956-70)
    De facto ruler of Poland (1947-48, 1956-70)

Why he might be annoying:

    He led the suppression of the Polish Peasants Party as a potential rival to the Communists (1947-48).
    He supported persecution of the Catholic Church and of intellectuals.
    Despite having a Jewish wife, he tried to shift attention away from the stagnating economy by launching an anti-Semitic campaign that drove most of the remaining Jews from Poland (1967-68).
    He was one of the first Warsaw Pact leaders to advocate invading Czechoslovakia to end the 'Prague Spring' reforms (1968).
    He ordered the army to fire on striking workers with automatic weapons, resulting in over 40 deaths and a thousand injuries (December, 1970), which led to his removal from power.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was left with a permanent limp after being shot in the left thigh by police breaking up a textile strike (1932).
    He was imprisoned by the Polish government (1937-39), which probably saved his life by keeping him from being swept up in a Stalinist purge of foreign Communist leaders.
    He was removed from power for opposing farm collectivization and otherwise being insufficiently deferential to Stalin. (September 3, 1948).
    He returned to power in the wake of worker demonstrations, when he was considered the only politician who could simultaneously assuage Polish nationalism and retain the support of the Soviet Union (October 21, 1956).
    He was initially popular for seeking a 'Polish way to socialism.'
    He negotiated a treaty with West Germany formally recognizing Poland's post-WWII borders (1970).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying