Rafał Górski
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Rafał Górski (22 September 1973 – 4 July 2010) was a Polish
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
, writer,
anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and Political movement, movement that seeks to abolish all institutions that perpetuate authority, coercion, or Social hierarchy, hierarchy, primarily targeting the state (polity), state and capitalism. A ...
,
trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
and housing activist. Górski was the author of several books and pamphlets on
self-governance Self-governance, self-government, self-sovereignty or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority (sociology), authority. It may refer to pers ...
and
cooperation Cooperation (written as co-operation in British English and, with a varied usage along time, coöperation) takes place when a group of organisms works or acts together for a collective benefit to the group as opposed to working in competition ...
. He was considered one of the most important figures in the contemporary Polish anarchist movement.


Personal life and activism

Górski was born on 22 September 1973 in
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
. In 1988 to 1990, Górski was a member of Federation of Fighting Youth (Federacja Młodzieży Walczącej) and the Youth Organization of the
Confederation of Independent Poland Confederation of Independent Poland (KPN, ) was a Polish nationalist political party founded on 1 September 1979 by Leszek Moczulski and others declaring support for the pre-war traditions of Sanacja and Józef Piłsudski. It was the first ind ...
(Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej or KPN). In mid 1989, Górski became head of the youth organization of KPM, where he remained in the organization till 1991. At age 16, Górski participated in the fights of the 1989 Kraków May, where youth from ZOMO fought against the election campaign of
Leszek Moczulski Robert Leszek Moczulski (, 7 June 1930 – 10 October 2024) was a Polish historian and politician, a member of various organizations, first supporting then supposedly opposing the communist regime in the People's Republic of Poland while divid ...
, who ran for a mandate from the list of the
Confederation of Independent Poland Confederation of Independent Poland (KPN, ) was a Polish nationalist political party founded on 1 September 1979 by Leszek Moczulski and others declaring support for the pre-war traditions of Sanacja and Józef Piłsudski. It was the first ind ...
in the contract elections. In 1989, Górski also took part in the protests in
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
against the
election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...
of
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 ...
as
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 ...
and in Kraków in protests at the
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...
. He later participated in ZSMP's and PZPR's occupation of the consulate in September 1989, and December 1989, respectively, and was involved in a series of street fights in
Nowa Huta Nowa Huta (, literally "The New Ironworks") is the easternmost district of Kraków, Poland. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most populous areas of the city. Until 1990, the neighbouring districts were considered expansions o ...
at the Lenin monument. In 1990, he supported the election campaigns of KPN members to the Kraków City Council, and participated in protests at the Soviet consulate against their aggression towards Lithuania in January 1991. He also took part in the Trail of the First Cadre Company March from
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
to
Kielce Kielce (; ) is a city in south-central Poland and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the banks of the Silnic ...
. In 1991, Górski joined Anarchist Federation (Kraków section), the Free Caucasus Committee and the Committee for the Assistance and Defense of Repressed Workers. Within these organizations, he helped co-organize a number of protests, including a blockade against the construction of Czorsztyn Dam), which resulted in a number of arrests. In 1995, Górski was arrested and jailed for his role in the occupation of the Delegation of the Ministry of Privatization building in Kraków and for previous charges of resisting police during the Dam Tamie in
Czorsztyn Czorsztyn (German: ''Schorstin'') is a village in Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Nowy Targ County. The village lies in Pieniny, the mountain range on the current Polish- Slovak border. It is famous for the ruins of a 14th-17th-century c ...
, in July 1992. Anarchists and members of KPN rallied in his defence, including MP
Leszek Moczulski Robert Leszek Moczulski (, 7 June 1930 – 10 October 2024) was a Polish historian and politician, a member of various organizations, first supporting then supposedly opposing the communist regime in the People's Republic of Poland while divid ...
, who issued a
surety In finance, a surety , surety bond, or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a person or company (a ''sure ...
for Górski. Górski was sentenced to a fine and was released following three weeks of
hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants fasting, fast as an act of political protest, usually with the objective of achieving a specific goal, such as a policy change. Hunger strikers that do not take fluids are ...
while being held in custody. On 8 February 2002, Górski was arrested on suspicion of attacking a police officer during an eviction blockade earlier in the year. Anarchist organizations criticized the arrest, claiming that his detention was an attempt by police to "silence the citizens". Górski had originally planned a demonstration for the following day. Once news of his arrest reached anarchist circles, anarchists across Poland carried out "Liberate Górski" campaigns, in an effort to draw attention to his "unfounded arrest". Górski was sentenced to eight months in prison, which was later commuted to two years of
probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offence (law), offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incar ...
. Górski later served as a domestic and international delegate to the
anarcho-syndicalist Anarcho-syndicalism is an anarchist organisational model that centres trade unions as a vehicle for class conflict. Drawing from the theory of libertarian socialism and the practice of syndicalism, anarcho-syndicalism sees trade unions as both ...
trade union, Workers' Initiative. He was a founder of the Environmental Commission in Kraków, in 2008. That same year, he began working in activism for tenets living in Kraków. He founded the "Sprawa Lokatorska" newsletter and participated in eviction blockades. In 2006, Górski was diagnosed with cancer. In September 2009, Górski was hospitalized following injuries he received in a police raid. While in the hospital his health deteriorated and he underwent two operations due to a relapse in cancer. Rafał Górski died on 4 July 2010 in Kraków, at the age of 37.


Journalism

Górski published in a number of anarchist and workers rights newsletters, including Another World, Mać Pariadka, Przegląd Anarchistyczny, Recycling Ideas, and Trybuna Śląska. From 2000 to 2004, he co-edited the anarchist periodical A-tak. In his writings, Górski wrote predominately on the theory and practicality of Representative Democracies, the history of anarchism and syndicalism in Poland, and on the popularity of cooperatives. In 2007, he published ''Without the State. Democracy that participates in action,'' which was described by the publisher as "the answer to the crisis of liberal democracy". This book, divided into three parts, discusses the impacts of representative democracy on local governments, workplaces and the judiciary. In this book, Górski discusses the difference between the theory and practice of democracy, specifically stating in the preface "many myths that have arisen around participatory democracy: that it is a beautiful system, but impossible to implement" In 2008, he published ''Polish assassins'' and in 2009, he published the article ''What if the transport was free?''


Works

* ''ABC anarchosyndykalizmu.'' Mielec: Wydawnictwo "Inny Świat", 1999. spólnie z Michałem Przyborowskim* ''Demokracja uczestnicząca w samorządzie lokalnym.'' Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskiej Biblioteki Anarchistycznej, 2003. . * ''Przewodnik po demokracji uczestniczącej (partycypacyjnej).'' Poznań: Kraków : Oficyna Wydawnicza Bractwa "Trojka", 2005. . * ''Bez państwa: demokracja uczestnicząca w działaniu.'' Kraków: Korporacja Ha!art, 2007. . * ''Historia i teraźniejszość samorządności pracowniczej w Polsce.'' Poznań: Oficyna Bractwa "Trojka",
007 The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
. * ''Polscy zamachowcy. Droga do wolności.'' Kraków: Egis Libron, 2008. .


See also

* Federacja Anarchistyczna *
Anarchism in Poland Anarchism in Poland first developed at the turn of the 20th century under the influence of anarchist ideas from Western Europe and from Russia. Prior to Polish independence from the Russian Empire, several anarchist organizations emerged within ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorski, Rafal 1973 births 2010 deaths People from Kraków Polish anarchists 21st-century Polish historians Polish male non-fiction writers