Krakow honours former foreign minister for WWII resistance legacy

Professor Bartoszewski (R) during today's ceremony: photo - PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk

Professor Bartoszewski, who was a member of the Polish underground's Council for Aid to Jews (Zegota) was described as a “moral authority” who has furthered the cause of Polish-Jewish and Polish-German reconciliation.

In a statement released by the town hall, councillors affirmed that the honour was being bestowed “for his public and academic contributions towards the preservation of memory of the Polish Underground State and the Warsaw Rising, as well as his chronicling of crimes committed by Nazis and communists.”

An Auschwitz survivor who will be 91 later this month, historian Bartoszewski remains one of the most prominent veterans of Poland's wartime Council for Aid to Jews, a branch of Poland's official underground force, the Home Army (AK).

Following the war, he was accused of being a spy and was imprisoned by the communist regime, ultimately being freed in 1955 with the so-called 'Thaw' that followed Stalin's death.

In 1980, he joined the Solidarity pro-democracy movement and was again imprisoned by the communists following the imposition of martial law in December 1981. He was released in April 1982.

Following the collapse of communism, he served as Poland's ambassador to Germany (1990-1995),and twice as foreign minister (1995 and 2000-2001).

He is currently a member of Prime Minister Tusk's centre-right Civic Platform party, maintaining a post in the prime minister's chancellery. (nh)