Sylwester Zych (May 19, 1950 in Ostrówek – July 11, 1989) was a Polish Catholic priest.

Biography

He was born in Ostrówek, and lived in Lipinki. Later he attended school in Duczki and Zielonka. Zych took part in various resistance activities, among them, serving as a secret courier for right wing political organisation KPN. As a part of many Communist-orchestrated political trials of this period, in 1982 he was charged with ''attempting to overthrow Polish political system''. After being accused and sentenced for his alleged involvement in the

Zdzisław Karos Zdzisław Karos (died February 23, 1982) was a senior sergeant of Citizens' Militia of People's Republic of Poland who served as a guard to the embassies in Warsaw and is known as the only certain fatal victim of the generally non-violent ''Solida ...

case, between 1982-1986, he was imprisoned by the Communist regime. The body of Sylwester Zych was found at night on July 11, 1989, at a bus stop in Krynica Morska. The circumstances surrounding the deaths of three Polish priests (Sylwester Zych, Stefan Niedzielak, and Stanisław Suchowolec) were later investigated by a Senate commission composed of

Zbigniew Romaszewski Zbigniew Jan Romaszewski (2 January 1940 – 13 February 2014) was a Polish conservative politician, senator since 1989, and human rights activist. After the June 1976 protests he was cofounder of assurance to workers prosecuted by communist regi ...

(chairman) and Alicja Grześkowiak (vice chairman). The investigation concluded that "there was criminal activity aimed at priests". The commission also suggested Polish secret police, the Służba Bezpieczeństwa, involvement in these crimes. Reverend Zych was laid to rest in

Kobyłka Kobyłka is a town of almost 22,000 inhabitants in Poland within the Warsaw metropolitan area, located right outside of the Warsaw, near Wołomin in the Wołomin County in the Masovian Voivodeship. History Located in a densely forested area, Ko ...

. He was posthumously decorated with a Gold

Cross of Merit with Swords The Cross of Merit with Swords () is a Polish military award established October 19, 1942, by the Polish Government in Exile. Criteria The Cross of Merit with Swords is awarded for deeds of bravery and valor during time of war not connected with ...

(by the last

Polish President The president of Poland ( pl, Prezydent RP), officially the president of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), is the head of state of Poland. Their rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Polan ...

in exile In Exile may refer to: Film and television * ''In Exile'' (film) or ''Time Runner'', a 1993 science fiction film * ''In Exile'' (TV series), a 1998 UK sitcom Literature * "In Exile" (short story), an 1892 short story by Anton Chekhov *''In Exile'' ...

Ryszard Kaczorowski Ryszard Kaczorowski, GCMG (; 26 November 1919 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish statesman. From 1989 to 1990, he served as the last President of Poland- in-exile. He succeeded Kazimierz Sabbat, and resigned his post following Poland's regaini ...

) and the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (by the late President Lech Kaczyński)Posthumous award of the Order of Polonia Restituta to Zych
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References

External links

Golgota księdza Zycha

Żałoba Narodowa, Żałoba w Małych Ojczyznach

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zych, Sylwester 1950 births 1989 deaths People from Wołomin County 20th-century Polish Roman Catholic priests People murdered in Poland Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Cross of Merit with Swords (Poland)