Son of Józef and Czesława née Mielczarek. He was born in Wołomin. In 1935 he and his family moved to Praga. His father was a member of the Polish Socialist Party, his mother worked as a housewife. He spent World War II and occupation of Poland with his family in Warsaw. After the war, he and his father left for the Recovered Territories, where in the village of Lutry. He completed seven classes of elementary school.