Polish People's Republic

**Polish People's Republic** was an official name of Poland from 1952 until 1989, when it was a Soviet satellite state. It was on the Stalinist model, ruled by the Polish United Workers' Party.

As with most Communist governments, the Polish government tolerated religious beliefs, but in 1950, Minister for Religious Affairs, Antoni Bida accused  the Polish Church of hostility to the state.  Conflict began and continued right up the collapse of the People's Republic of Poland, and with it communism in Poland, in 1989.

In June 1956, there was a workers strike, which was put down violently.  75 people were killed.  On October 19, 1956 arrived leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  There was a political breakthrough and new Communists became the leaders.

Year 1980 was one of heavier years in history of country. A lot of protests led to the creation of "Solidarność" independent labor union, which later led to the fall of communism in Poland in 1989.

## Infobox (former country)

- **conventional long name**: Polish People's Republic
- **common name**: Poland
- **status**: Satellite state of the Soviet Union<sup>#inforefa, [a]</sup>
- **era**: Cold War
- **p1**: Provisional Government of National Unity
- **flag p1**: Flag of Poland_(1928-1980).svg
- **s1**: History of Poland (1989–present)Third Polish Republic
- **flag s1**: Flag of Poland.svg
- **national anthem**:
"Poland Is Not Yet Lost"<div style="padding-top:0.5em;"></div>
- **event start**: Small Constitution of 1947, Small Constitution
- **life span**: 1947–1989
- **year start**: 1947
- **date start**: 19 February
- **year end**: 1990
- **date end**: 9 December
- **event end**: 1990 Polish presidential election, Final dissolution
- **event2**: Polish United Workers' Party, United Workers' Party established
- **date event2**: 16–21 December 1948
- **event3**: Constitution of the Polish People's Republic, Constitution adopted
- **date event3**: 22 July 1952
- **event4**: Polish October
- **date event4**: 21 October 1956
- **event5**: Martial Law in Poland, Martial Law
- **date event5**: 13 December 1981
- **date event6**: 4 June – 30 December 1989
- **event6**: 1989 Polish legislative elections, Democracy restored
- **date event7**: February 1990
- **event7**: Polish United Worker's Party, Abolition of the Polish United Worker's Party
- **title leader**: List of heads of state of Poland#First Secretaries of the Polish United Workers' Party, First Secretary and Leader
- **leader1**: Bolesław Bierut
- **year leader1**: 1947–1956 <small>(first)</small>
- **year leader2**: 1989–1990 <small>(last)</small>
- **title representative**: Polish Council of State, Head of Council
- **representative1**: Bolesław Bierut
- **year representative1**: 1947–1952 <small>(first)</small>
- **representative2**: Wojciech Jaruzelski
- **year representative2**: 1985–1989 <small>(last)</small>
- **title deputy**: List of Prime Ministers of Poland#Prime Ministers of the People's Republic of Poland (1944–1990), Prime Minister
- **deputy1**: Edward Osóbka-Morawski, E. Osóbka-Morawski
- **year deputy1**: 1944–1947 <small>(first)</small>
- **deputy2**: Tadeusz Mazowiecki
- **year deputy2**: 1989 <small>(last)</small>
- **legislature**: Sejm
- **image flag**: Flag of Poland (1928–1980).svg
- **flag type**: Flag
(1947–1980)
- **flag**: Flag of Poland
- **image symbol**: Coat of arms of Poland (1955-1980).svg
- **symbol type**: Coat of arms of Poland, Coat of arms
(1955–1980)
- **image map**: Poland_1956-1990.svg
- **image map caption**: The Polish People's Republic in 1989
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist One-party state, _de facto_ one-party Socialist state, socialist republic
under a Military Council of National Salvation, military junta
- **official languages**: Polish language, Polish
- **demonym**: Poles, Pole, Polish
- **capital**: Warsaw
- **largest city**: capital
- **religion**: Catholic Church in Poland, Roman Catholicism
State atheism
_See Religion in Poland_
- **population estimate**: 37,970,155
- **population estimate year**: 1989
- **currency**: Polish złoty
- **currency code**: PLZ
- **time zone**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset**: +1
- **utc offset dst**: +2
- **time zone dst**: Central European Summer Time, CEST
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in Poland, +48
- **area km2**: 312,685
- **hdi**: 0.910
- **hdi year**: 1989