Sylwester Kaliski (19 December 1925 – 16 September 1978) was a Polish engineer, professor and military general. He was a member of the

Polish Academy of Sciences The Polish Academy of Sciences ( pl, Polska Akademia Nauk, PAN) is a Polish state-sponsored institution of higher learning. Headquartered in Warsaw, it is responsible for spearheading the development of science across the country by a society o ...

(PAN). Born in

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

, Kaliski was a specialist in the field of

applied physics Applied physics is the application of physics to solve scientific or engineering problems. It is usually considered to be a bridge or a connection between physics and engineering. "Applied" is distinguished from "pure" by a subtle combination ...

. He developed the theory of continuous amplification of ultra and hyper-sounds in semiconductive crystals and obtained plasma temperature of tens of millions of kelvins using

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

impulse. He died in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

in car crash. It has been speculated that Kaliski was killed by the Soviet

KGB The KGB (russian: links=no, lit=Committee for State Security, Комитет государственной безопасности (КГБ), a=ru-KGB.ogg, p=kəmʲɪˈtʲet ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)əj bʲɪzɐˈpasnəsʲtʲɪ, Komitet gosud ...

, as he headed the Polish clandestine program of developing thermonuclear devices intended for military use. The program began on orders from the highest levels of Polish communists and was reportedly opposed by the Soviet Union.

Accolades

* Order of Builders of People's Poland - 1978 (posthumously) * Order of the Banner of Labour 1st Class - 1968 * Commander's Cross Polonia Restituta - 1973 * Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta - 1961 * Gold Cross of Merit - 1957 * People's Republic of Poland 30th Anniversary Medal - 1974 * Gold Medal "Armed Forces in Service of the Fatherland" - 1970 * Silver Medal "Armed Forces in Service to the Fatherland" - 1970 * Bronze Medal "Armed Forces in Service to the Fatherland" - 1970 * Gold Medal "For Meritorious Service to National Defence" - 1974 * Silver Medal "For Meritorious Service to National Defence * Bronze Medal "For meritorious service to national defence" * Order of Friendship of Nations (Soviet Union) - 1973 * Order of War Merit with a Great Star (Yugoslavia) - 1967 * Entry in the "Honorary Book of Soldierly Deeds" - 1973 * and others.

References

1925 births 1978 deaths People from Toruń People from Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919–1939) Members of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party Government ministers of Poland Members of the Polish Sejm 1972–1976 Members of the Polish Sejm 1976–1980 Polish People's Army generals Nuclear engineers 20th-century Polish engineers 20th-century Polish physicists Gdańsk University of Technology alumni Members of the Polish Academy of Sciences Recipients of the Order of the Builders of People's Poland Recipients of the Order of the Banner of Work Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples {{Poland-mil-bio-stub