Włodzimierz Sokorski (2 July 1908 – 2 May 1999) was a Polish

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

official, writer, military journalist and a brigadier general 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. ...

. He was the Minister of Culture and Art responsible for the implementation of the socialist realist doctrine in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he escaped to the

Soviet Union 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 ...

. In 1949 at the ''Congress of Polish Composers'' in Łagów he banned

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, after a four-and-a-half-hour diatribe on the "imperialist rot" poisoning people's minds.Igor Pietraszewski
"O przemianach edukacyjnych w muzyce jazzowej po 89’." Page 169.
In ''Edukacja, wychowanie, poradnictwo w kulturze popularnej'' by Marta Kondracka and Alina Łysak. Wrocław 2009. Following the socialist thaw of the

Polish October The Polish October ( ), also known as the Polish thaw or Gomułka's thaw, also "small stabilization" () was a change in the politics of the Polish People's Republic that occurred in October 1956. Władysław Gomułka was appointed First Secretar ...

revolution, Sokorski headed the

Polish Radio and Television Committee of Radio and Television "Polish Radio and Television" () (also called as a Radiocomittee - Radiokomitet) was an institution, which managed all stations of Polish Television and Polish Radio in Polish People's Republic (PRL), and in the ear ...

Committee under the

Council of Ministers Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme Executive (government), executive organ in some governments. It is usually equivalent to the term Cabinet (government), cabinet. The term Council of State is a similar name that also m ...

from 1956 to 1972, and later, the ''Miesięcznik Literacki'' ideological monthly magazine (dismantled in 1990).Katarzyna Samojluk
Czasopisma kulturalne w zbiorach Dolnośląskiej Biblioteki Publicznej.
''Dolnośląska Biblioteka Publiczna im. T. Mikulskiego we Wrocławiu''. Retrieved November 5, 2011. Despite promoting socialist realism and the line of the PZPR, it is emphasized that as the minister of culture and art, he also saved some writers and people of culture from repression. He wrote memoirs, novels with strong sexual undertones, and was showered with state medals and awards.
''Presspublica "Archiwum.rp.pl"''. Retrieved November 4, 2011. He is buried at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.

Awards and decorations

* Order of the Builders of People's Poland (1979) * Grand Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

Order of the Banner of Labour, 1st Class * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski ZG BAR

Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1964) * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1949) * Gold Cross of

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', ) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was established in 1792 by the last King of Poland Stanislaus II of Poland, ...

* Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari * POL Polonia Restituta Kawalerski BAR

Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1946) * POL Krzyz Bitwy pod Lenino BAR

Lenino Cross (1988) * POL Medal 30-lecia Polski Ludowej BAR

Medal of the 30th Anniversary of People's Poland * POL Medal 40-lecia Polski Ludowej BAR

Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People's Poland * POL Medal 10-lecia Polski Ludowej BAR

Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland * Gold Medal of Merit for National Defence * Medal of Ludwik Waryński (1986) * Badge of the 1000th Anniversary of the Polish State (1966) *

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

(USSR) *

SU Medal For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 ribbon

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR) * SU Medal Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 ribbon

SU Medal Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 ribbon

Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR) * 30 years of victory rib

Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR) * 40 years of victory rib

Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR)

References

1908 births 1999 deaths People from Oleksandrivsk People from Yekaterinoslav Governorate Communist Party of Poland politicians Communist Party of the Soviet Union members Polish Workers' Party politicians Polish United Workers' Party members Government ministers of Poland Members of the State National Council Members of the Polish Sejm 1947–1952 Members of the Polish Sejm 1952–1956 Members of the Polish Sejm 1965–1969 Members of the Polish Sejm 1969–1972 Members of the Polish Sejm 1972–1976 Polish expatriates in the Soviet Union Polish male novelists Polish People's Army generals Polish military personnel of World War II Grand Crosses of the Order of Polonia Restituta Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Cross of the Virtuti Militari Recipients of the Order of the Builders of People's Poland Recipients of the Order of the Banner of Work Recipients of the Order of Lenin Burials at Powązki Military Cemetery 20th-century Polish novelists Recipients of the Medal of the 10th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland {{Poland-mil-bio-stub

Awards and decorations

See also

References