Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (, KC PZPR) was the central ruling body of the

Polish United Workers' Party The Polish United Workers' Party (, ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other legally permitted subordinate minor parti ...

, the dominant political party in the

People's Republic of Poland The Polish People's Republic (1952–1989), formerly the Republic of Poland (1947–1952), and also often simply known as Poland, was a country in Central Europe that existed as the predecessor of the modern-day democratic Republic of Poland. ...

(1948-1990).

Functions

Members of the Committee convened about every four months. The Committee elected representatives to various bodies, among which the most important was the

Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party The Politburo was the highest political organ of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party, which existed from 1948 to 1990. The Politburo typically had between 9 and 15 members at any one time. Usually, several alternates (or c ...

, which took actions between the conventions.

Leaders

By the year 1954 the head of the party was the Chair of the Central Committee. They ''de facto'' replaced the abolished position of the

President of Poland The president of Poland ( ), officially the president of the Republic of Poland (), is the head of state of Poland. His or her prerogatives and duties are determined in the Constitution of Poland. The president jointly exercises the executive ...

: * Secretary General

Bolesław Bierut Bolesław Bierut (; 18 April 1892 – 12 March 1956) was a Polish communist activist and politician, leader of History of Poland (1945–1989), communist-ruled Poland from 1947 until 1956. He was President of the State National Council from 1944 ...

(December 22, 1948 – March 12, 1956) * First Secretary Edward Ochab (March 20, 1956 – October 21, 1956) * First Secretary

Władysław Gomułka Władysław Gomułka (; 6 February 1905 – 1 September 1982) was a Polish Communist politician. He was the ''de facto'' leader of Polish People's Republic, post-war Poland from 1947 until 1948, and again from 1956 to 1970. Born in 1905 in ...

(October 21, 1956 - December 20, 1970) * First Secretary

Edward Gierek Edward Gierek (; 6 January 1913 – 29 July 2001) was a Polish communist politician who served as the '' de facto'' leader of the Polish People's Republic between 1970 and 1980. Gierek replaced Władysław Gomułka as the First Secretary of the ...

(December 20, 1970 – September 6, 1980) * First Secretary Stanisław Kania (September 6, 1980 – October 18, 1981) * First Secretary

Wojciech Jaruzelski Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski ( ; ; 6 July 1923 – 25 May 2014) was a Polish military general, politician and ''de facto'' leader of the Polish People's Republic from 1981 until 1989. He was the First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party ...

(October 18, 1981 – July 29, 1989) * First Secretary

Mieczysław Rakowski Mieczysław Franciszek Rakowski ( Polish: ; 1 December 1926 – 8 November 2008) was a Polish communist politician, historian and journalist who was Prime Minister of Poland from 1988 to 1989. He served as the seventh and final First Secretary o ...

(July 29, 1989 – January 29, 1990)

Seat

By 1990 the decision-making center was situated in a building erected by obligatory subscription in the years 1948–1952. The shares, called ″little bricks" (in Polish ''"cegiełka"'') with nominal values of 50-, 100-, and 500 zlotys, were distributed among the entire society. The building was officially called the Party's House, and was also known as the White House or the House of Sheep. Since 1991 the Bank-Financial Center "New World" is located in this building. In 1991-2000 the

Warsaw Stock Exchange The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) () is a stock exchange in Warsaw, Poland. Founded in 1817, it was located in the Saxon Palace until 1877 when it was moved to the Exchange Building at the Saxon Garden. Currently, it is located at ul. Książęca ...

had also its seat in this building. From 1918 to 1931 a building with the seat of communication department was located in that place. Earlier – from the

November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...

to 1918 – there was also the seat of the Clearing-House.

Functions

Leaders

Seat

See also