Union of Polish Youth

Związek Młodzieży Polskiej (Union or Association of Polish Youth, abbr. ZMP) was a Polish communist youth organization, existing from 1948 to 1956. It was subordinated to Polish United Workers' Party

Union of Polish Youth Związek Młodzieży Polskiej
Founded	1948
Dissolved	1956
Succeeded by	Union of Socialist Youth
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism Stalinism
Mother party	Polish United Workers' Party
National affiliation	National Front
International affiliation	WFDY
Newspaper	Sztandar Młodych

This article is about the post-World War II Polish communist youth organization. For the pre-World War I organization, see Union of Polish Youth "Zet".

The organization was formally established on On July 22, 1948, during the Congress of Unity of Polish Youth in Wrocław, the youth organizations were united. The proposals for unification were put forward by activists of the communist youth organization - Union of Youth Struggle (Związek Walki Młodych) - during the 1st nationwide Congress in September 1947. The result of the Congress of Unity was the liquidation of all youth organizations other than the Union of Polish Youth.

For several years it supervised Polish scouting. Membership in it was often obligatory (officially or unofficially) for various purposes, such as being able to attend the universities. Membership was refused to those who were deemed "unsuitable" - due to non-worker/peasant family background, or their ties with the pro-West World War II-era Polish forces or resistance.

Its membership grew from almost 0.5 million in 1948, to over 1 million in 1951 and over 2 million in 1955.

The uniform of a ZMP member consisted of a green shirt and red tie.

See also

• Bolesław Bierut

References

• (in Polish) Związek Walki Młodych – Związek Młodzieży Polskiej Archived 2009-11-23 at the Wayback Machine on the pages of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance