Elites of the Polish Peasant Party (August 1945 – October 1947)

Abstract

The article characterizes the elites of the Polish Peasant Party from the establishment of the party to the escape of Stanislaw Mikołajczyk from Poland, taking into consideration a social origin of key activists, their education and experience in the people’s movement. The author describes attempts made by the Polish Peasant Party to gain a dominant position in the movement, the role of the Party in the Provisional Government of National Unity, the fight for democracy, the activity in the State National Council, the attitude towards the Polish people’s referendum on June 30, 1946 and the participation in election to parliament on January 19, 1947. The author also depicted the fortunes of key activists of the Polish Peasant Party after gaining control of the “Left” Polish Peasant Party with Józef Niećko and Czesław Wycech as its leaders.