The Polish National Democratic Committee towards the Polish October

Abstract

Nikita Khrushchev's secret speech at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956 marked the beginning of the process of liberalization in the USSR and the Soviet bloc, known as the "Khrushchev thaw". In Polish reality, this phenomenon known as "Gomułka’s thaw" or the Polish “October” initiated the destalinization of the political system. This included many political prisoners were released following an amnesty. The changes taking place in the country at that time met with considerable interest from the Polish political groups in exile. In the article, the author presents the establishment and functioning of the "Polski Narodowy Komitet Demokratyczny" (PNKD) [Polish National Democratic Committee] and the position of this political platform with regards the changes taking place in Poland, including the Poznań protests in June 1956. The controversies related to the visit to Poland of Seweryn Eustachiewicz, a member of the Christian Democrats, critically assessed by partners from PNKD, is also described. Another factor that the author has paid attention to is the contrasting opinions of the situation and transformations taking place in Poland between the main PNKD groups – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe [the Polish People's Party] and Partia Pracy [the Labor Party]. It is also pointed out that different assessments of the Polish “October” had a significant impact on the functioning of the PNKD and became a catalyst for its disintegration. The PNKD partners also differed in other matters, which is also highlighted in the article. Among other things, they had divergent views on the West's economic aid for Poland, as well as the election campaign and the election to the Parliament of the Polish People's Republic on January 20, 1957.