Jan Olszewski

Infobox Officeholder
name = Jan Ferdynand Olszewski

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imagesize =
small

caption =
order = Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
3^rd Prime Minister of the Third Republic
term_start = December 23 1991
term_end = June 5 1992
vicepresident =
viceprimeminister =
deputy =
president = Lech Wałęsa
primeminister =
predecessor = Jan Krzysztof Bielecki
successor = Waldemar Pawlak
birth_date = birth date and age|1930|08|20
birth_place = Warsaw, Second Polish Republic
death_date =
death_place =
constituency =
party = Porozumienie Centrum
spouse =
profession = Lawyer
religion = Roman Catholic


footnotes =

Jan Ferdynand Olszewski (pronounced|ˈjan fɛrˈdɨnant ɔlˈʃɛfskʲi, born August 20, 1930 in Warsaw) is a Polish lawyer and political figure. He is best known for serving as Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland from 1991 to 1992.

Olszewski, a native of Warsaw, came from a worker's family with strong socialist traditions (even he, despite a later right-wing career, considered himself a socialist during his early political life). Many members of his family belonged to the first tier of Polish Socialist Party.

Since 1943 he was active in Szare Szeregi, underground Polish Scouting Association during World War II. After War he was active supporter and campaigned for Stanisław Mikołajczyk's Polish People's Party (1946–1947).

He graduated from secondary school in 1949 and went to study law in University of Warsaw (graduation in 1953). After this he was an employee of Ministry of Justice and later Polish Academy of Sciences.

In 1956 he became member of the team of weekly "Po prostu". In one of his article (March 11) he called for rehabilitation of former Armia Krajowa members, prosecuted by communist authorities. Soon he became one of the best know public critics of regime, resulting prohibiting him from being journalist in 1957 (to 1959).

From 1956 to 1962 he was a member of the "Klub Krzywego Koła", composing intellectual elites cricitising regime.

During 1960s Olszewski became leading defense attorney in political trials (i.e. Melchior Wańkowicz in 1964, Jacek Kuroń and Karol Modzelewski in 1965). His professional activity was banned again in 1968. He returned in 1970, when Edward Gierek came to power.

During 1970s he continued his legal activity and became one of the most prominent leaders of the democratic opposition - later Solidarity.

In 1984 he was auxiliary prosecutor in trial of murderers of priest Jerzy Popiełuszko.

Olszewski participated in the Polish Round Table Agreement, but refused to run for Contract Sejm and joining Tadeusz Mazowiecki cabinet.

He joined Centre Agreement in 1990. After Polish parliamentary election, 1991 he was named by President Lech Wałęsa as new Prime Minister.

His cabinet, however, lasted just over half of a year (December 23, 1991 - June 5, 1992). His cabinet has fallen after secret collaborators of Służba Bezpieczeństwa were unveiled. Accuracy of this list was remained highly disputable after many people on were found innocent. Olszewski's government was accused for use this for political gains and that does not care about accuracy. In next (1993) election he lost Sejm seat (he held since 1991). He returned to the Sejm in 1997 and 2001 (this time from far-right wing League of Polish Families ballot).

He run for President in 1995, winning fourth place (after Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Lech Wałęsa and Jacek Kuroń) with 1 225 453 votes (6,86%), which was a big success.

In 1996 he founder and became a leader of Ruch Odbudowy Polski (now disbanded).

A longtime political ally of Jarosław Kaczyński and Lech Kaczyński, he is current a strong supporter of their policy and Law and Justice party.

Olszewski serving as President Kaczyński political advisor since April 10, 2006. He also served as the Vice President of the State Tribunal of the Republic of Poland for two occasions (1989-1991, 2005-2006).