Gomulka and the Partisans

In March, students were expelled from Warsaw University: Adam Michnik and Henryk Szlajfer. Famous writers and poets stood up in defense of the expelled . So did the academic community, high school students, and workers in more than a dozen cities. Their clashes with the police and ORMO ended in beatings and arrests. Members of the ZNAK circle turned to Prime Minister Cyrankiewicz with a de facto interpellation in support of the students, charging the authorities for the course of events, also criticized by the Episcopate. Soon Jerzy Zawieyski, a ZNAK deputy, gave a dramatic speech in the Sejm defending the heavily criticized club. The authorities suggested that the riots were inspired by Jewish students, most of them children of high-ranking party and state activists (the so-called "commandos"; their trials at the end of the year).

An anti-Semitic campaign began, in which Gomulka played a major role. The events of March '68 led to the removal of "Zionists" from universities and various state institutions, the departure from the country of more than 13,000 Polish citizens of Jewish origin. In the background were the games within the ruling camp with the dominant role of Mieczyslaw Moczar, who failed to remove Gomulka from power. Edward Ochab, who protested against the anti-Semitic campaign, was replaced as Chairman of the Council of State by Marshal Marian Spychalski. The post of Minister of National Defense was assumed by Wojciech Jaruzelski.

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"Living History" by Prof. Andrzej Nowak (histori