Edward Ochab

Edward Ochab


First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party
In office 20 March 1956 – 21 October 1956
Preceded by	Bolesław Bierut
Succeeded by	Władysław Gomułka
Chairman of the Polish Council of State
In office 12 August 1964 – 10 April 1968
Preceded by	Aleksander Zawadzki
Succeeded by	Marian Spychalski
Personal details
Born	16 August 1906
Died	1 May 1989 (aged 82)
Spouse(s)	Rachela née Silbiger (1907–96)

Edward Ochab (Polish: [ˈɛdvart ˈɔxap]; 1906–89) was a Polish communist social activist and politician. As a member of the Communist Party of Poland from 1929, he was repeatedly imprisoned for his activities under the Polish government of the time. In 1939 Ochab participated in the Defense of Warsaw but afterwards moved to the Soviet Union, where he became an early organizer and manager in the Union of Polish Patriots. In 1943 he joined General Berling's Polish Army on the Eastern Front as a political officer and quickly advanced in its ranks. From 1944 he was a member of the Central Committee of the Polish Workers' Party (PPR) and a deputy in the State National Council. In 1945 he became minister of public administration and held the successive positions of propaganda chief in the PPR (1945–46), chief of cooperative associations (1947–48), and chief of the central trade unions (CRZZ) (1948–49). From December 1948 he was a deputy member of the (communist) Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) Politburo, and a full member from 1954. During 1949–50, General Ochab was deputy minister of defense and led the political branch of the Armed Forces. In Stalinist Poland Ochab was well-connected and highly placed within the regime of Bolesław Bierut. After Bierut's death he became first secretary of the Party and served in that capacity between 20 March and 21 October 1956.