Zbigniew Messner

Zbigniew Messner
Prime Minister of Poland
In office 6 November 1985 – 27 September 1988
Preceded by	Wojciech Jaruzelski
Succeeded by	Mieczysław Rakowski
Member of Sejm
In office 6 November 1985 – 30 May 1989
Personal details
Born	Zbigniew Stefan Messner (1929-03-13)13 March 1929 Stryj,Stanisławów Voivodeship,Second Polish Republic(nowStryi,Ukraine)
Died	10 January 2014(2014-01-10)(aged 84) Warsaw,Poland
Political party	Polish United Workers' Party(1954-1990)
Profession	Economist

Zbigniew Stefan Messner(Polish:[ˈzbiɡɲɛfˈmɛsnɛr];13 March 1929 – 10 January 2014) was a Polishcommunistpolitician and economist. His ancestors were of German Polish descent who had assimilated into Polish society. In 1972, he became Professor of Karol Adamiecki University of Economics inKatowice.In the 1980s, Messner held numerous high ranking posts withincommunist party apparatus.He was a member of theCentral Committeeof thePolish United Workers' Party(PZPR) from 1981 to 1990, when PZPR was dissolved, member of the PZPRPolitburofrom 1981 to 1988, Deputy Prime Minister from 1983 to 1985, member ofSejmfrom 1985 to 1989,Prime Minister of Polish People's Republicfrom 1985 to 1988 and member of theState Council of the Polish People's Republicfrom 1988 to 1989.Additionally in the 1960s Messner was the chairman ofPiast Gliwicefootball club.

Early life

Messner was born on 13 March 1929 inStryj,then located inPoland(now Stryi,Ukraine). AfterSoviet annexation of former Polish eastern regionsin 1945, his family decided to leave Stryj and move toGliwice.In 1953 Messner graduatedKarol Adamiecki University of EconomicsinKatowice,where he continued to work in the following years as an academic worker.

Political career

In 1954 Messner joined PZPR. In 1980 he became the chairman of theKatowice VoivodeshipNational Council.In the following year Messner was appointed First Secretary of the Voivodeship Committee of the PZPR inKatowiceand member of PZPR Central Committee and Politburo. There he started to collaborate withWojciech Jaruzelski,then prime minister and leader of the PZPR, who in 1983 made Messner hisDeputy Prime Minister,responsible for economic affairs. When in 1985 Jaruzelski became theChairman of the Council of Stateand resigned from the Prime Minister's office, he appointed Messner as his successor. This move was not caused by Messner's competence, but his loyalty and subjugation to Jaruzelski.

As economist and now Prime Minister, Messner was tasked by Jaruzelski with the implementation of some market elements intoplanned economy systemin order to savePolish economyfrom collapse, while preventing political liberalization. Messner's cabinet work led to adaptation of several bills, which included e.g. increasing the independence of state enterprises, allowing for the creation of private banks andprivatisation,etc.

However Messner's reforms coincided with drastic price increases and further economic recession. Moreover, thereferendumon economic reforms in 1987, proposed by the government turned out to be a failure, because it did not receive enough votes to make its result binding. In 1988, a wave of strikes organized by the opposition's"Solidarity"trade union spread throughout the country. Messner came under pressure of both opoposition and other factions within PZPR. In theSejm(Parliament), members of pro-communistAll-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions(OPZZ), started to speak against Messner. The criticism within communist party forced Jaruzelski to pressure Messener to resign. Messner eventually resigned in September 1988, justifying his decision with "health problems", and had to transfer power toMieczysław Rakowski.After his resignation Jaruzelski gave him a seat in Council of State, in which Messner remained until the abolishment of the Council, creation of the office ofPresident of Polandandpresidential electionin July 1989.

Later life

After 1989 Messner retreated from political life and returned to academic career. He died in Warsaw on 10 January 2014.