Henryk Jan Jabłoński (27 December 1909 – 27 January 2003) was a Polish historian and politician. After 1948, he became a politician of the ruling Polish United Workers' Party, as well as a historian and professor at Warsaw University. He served as head of state of the People's Republic of Poland between 1972 and 1985.
Life and career
Jabłoński was born in Stary Waliszew in the Warsaw Governorate of Congress Poland. From 1931, he was a member of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS). During World War II, he fought in the Battle of Narvik (Norway) and then joined the French Resistance. In 1945 Jabłoński became a member of the State National Council (KRN), and during the years 1946 and 1948 he had high functions in the PPS (chairman of Central State Committee and its vice-leader). He approved joining the PPS with the Polish Workers' Party (PPR, Polska Partia Robotnicza).
From 1947 to 1972, he was a deputy to the Sejm. In 1948, he was appointed professor at Warsaw University (from 1952 member of Polish Academy of Sciences – PAN). Between 1948 and 1981, Henryk Jabłoński was in the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (KC PZPR).
In 1972, on the initiative of Edward Gierek, Jablonski was chosen the de iure leader (chairman of the Council of State) of the People's Republic of Poland. From 1976 to 1983, he was the chief of the Front of National Unity (FJN, Front Jedności Narodu). From 1983 to 1990, he was chief of ZBoWiD, the Society of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy, an organisation of war veterans. In 1985, he was replaced as head of state by General Wojciech Jaruzelski. His wife Jadwiga Jabłońska died in 1999.
Honours and awards
- 60px Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, earlier Commander's Cross
- 60px Order of the Builders of People's Poland
- 60px Order of the Banner of Labour, 1st class
- 60px Officer's Cross of Order of Polonia Restituta
- 60px Golden Cross of Merit with Swords
- 60px Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 3rd class
- 60px Deed Combat Cross Polish Armed Forces in the West (1989)
- 60px Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland
- 60px Medal of the 30th Anniversary of People's Poland
- 60px Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People's Poland
- 60px Badge of the honorary title "Meritorious Teacher of the Polish People's Republic"
- 60px Golden Medal of Merit for National Defence
- 60px Silver Medal of Merit for National Defence
- 60px Bronze Medal od Merit for National Defence
- 60px Medal of the National Education Commission
- 60px Medal of Ludwik Waryński
- 60px Badge of the 1000th Anniversary of the Polish State
- 60px Great Star of Honour of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Austria
- 60px Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- 60px Order of Georgi Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
- 60px 100th anniversary of the birth of Georgi Dimitrov Medal (Bulgaria)
- 60px 1300th Anniversary Of Bulgarian Foreigners Medal (Bulgaria)
- 60px Order of the White Lion, First Class with Chain (CSSR)
- 60px Order of the White Lion Third Class (CSSR)
- 60px Hungarian Order of Merit (Hungary)
- 60px Order of the Flag of the Republic of Hungary, 1st class (Hungary)
- 60px Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur (France)
- 60px Volunteer Combatant's Cross (France)
- 60px Order of the Two Rivers, 1st Class (Iraq)
- 60px Order of José Marti (Cuba)
- 60px Collars of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico)
- 60px Order of Sukhbaatar (Mongolia)
- 60px Great Chain of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator (Portugal)
- 60px Great Banner of the Order of the Umayyads (Syria)
- 60px Order of the October Revolution (USSR)
- 60px Order of Friendship of Peoples (USSR)
- 60px Order of the Badge of Honour (USSR)
- 60px Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR)
- 60px Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR)
- 60px Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (USSR)
- 60px Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
- 60px Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
- State Award, Grade II – 1955
- State Prize – 1964
- Special National Award – 1979