Jerzy Urban

Jerzy Urban a adăugat o fotografie

acum 9 zile

R.I.P
Jerzy

Jerzy Urban (born Jerzy Urbach, 3 August 1933 – 3 October 2022) was a Polish journalist, commentator, writer and politician, best known as the founder and editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine Nie. From 1981 to 1989 he was the Press Secretary of the Polish government under the People's Republic of Poland, and the Head of the Polish Radio and Television Committee in 1989. An anticlerical and socialist throughout his life, he frequently was the centre of numerous controversies due to his comments and political views resulting in support of Polish government; on the other hand, he was an intelligent and uncompromising satirist, writer and journalist, which results in a complex legacy of his life.

Jerzy Urban a adăugat o fotografie

acum 9 zile

R.I.P
Jerzy

Before 1989 Urban was born into an assimilated Jewish family in Łódź. His father, Jan Urbach, was an activist of Polish Socialist Party and the General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland. In 1939, they relocated to the city of Lwów (Lemberg, now Lviv). Following the outbreak of the Second World War and the German–Soviet occupation of Poland, a Soviet official mistook the last two letters of the family surname and incorrectly transcribed it as "Urban". His parents later refrained from returning to the original spelling. Urban reportedly attended 17 different primary and high schools. He completed his senior high school exams as an external student. He studied in two faculties of the University of Warsaw and was expelled from both. He started his journalistic career with the journal Nowa Wieś. From 1955 to 1957, he was a journalist - reporter and commentator - for the weekly Po prostu, which started during the rehabilitation of Władysław Gomułka, who became leader of Polish United Workers' Party. However, the newspaper was closed by the personal initiative of Gomułka, which symbolised the end of the thaw which started under Gomułka. Urban was officially banned from publishing under his own name. From 1961, he worked…Citește mai mult

Jerzy Urban a adăugat o fotografie

acum 9 zile

R.I.P
Jerzy

After 1989 Urban ran for office as an independent during the semi-free elections in 1989 (he was never a member of the Polish United Workers' Party PZPR). He suffered a landslide defeat and since then gave up attempts to actively participate in politics. In 1990 he established Nie, a satirical newspaper, which often uses profanity. He subsequently served as its chief editor. Court case for offence to John-Paul II In 2002, Urban was charged with offence against the head of the Vatican state, Pope John Paul II, due to the publication in Nie of the article on Pope's health. The Youth Forum of the political party PiS and the Media Ethics Council took him to court. In court, Magdalena Bajer, the leader of the Media Ethics Council, testified as a witness that Urban "brutally mocked the suffering of a man who was a head of state". The court case was considered a precedent. Urban pleaded not guilty. Urban was defended by the International Press Institute in Vienna. In turn, a specialist in church law, priest Prof. Florian Lempa stated that Urban's action did not satisfy the definition of the crime, since a head of state is only protected when he…Citește mai mult

Jerzy Urban a lăsat un gând

acum 9 zile

Death Jerzy Urban died in Konstancin-Jeziorna on 3 October 2022 at the age of 89. He was buried at the Powązki Military Cemetery, Warsaw on 11 October 2022.

Jerzy Urban a lăsat un gând

acum 9 zile

Personal life and political beliefs Urban married three times. He had one daughter. He described himself as an atheist, and frequently criticised organised religion, especially the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. He was a dedicated socialist throughout his life; describing the Solidarność movement as the "worst thing to happen to Poland" and maintained this stance even after Polish government was overthrown during 1989 revolutions.

Jerzy Urban a lăsat un gând

acum 9 zile

Awards and decorations Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta

Jerzy Urban a lăsat un gând

acum 9 zile

Gold Cross of Merit Order of the Banner of Labour, second class

Jerzy Urban a lăsat un gând

acum 9 zile

Official page of the weekly Nie Criminal Defamation Laws in Poland Hamper Free Expression – IFEX