Władysław Baka (24 March 1936 – 3 March 2021) was a Polish economist, politician, and banker.[1] He was a Minister without Portfolio [pl] in the Council of Ministers, President of the National Bank of Poland from 1985 to 1988 and again from 1989 to 1991, and served on the Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party from 1988 to 1989.

Władysław Baka
President of the National Bank of Poland
In office
12 September 1989 – 24 January 1991
Preceded byZdzisław Pakuła [pl]
Succeeded byGrzegorz Wójtowicz [pl]
In office
13 November 1985 – 13 July 1988
Preceded byZdzisław Pakuła (acting)
Succeeded byZdzisław Pakuła
Polish Minister without Portfolio [pl] in the Council of Ministers
In office
3 July 1981 – 12 November 1985
Personal details
Born24 March 1936
Boksycka, Second Polish Republic
Died3 March 2021(2021-03-03) (aged 84)
NationalityPolish
Political partyPZPR

Biography

edit

The son of Władysław and Marta, Baka graduated from the Faculty of Economics [pl] at the University of Warsaw in 1958. He obtained a doctoral degree in 1971, became an associate professor in 1977, and a full professor in 1989. From 1975 to 1981, he supervised the Committee of Economic Sciences [pl] of the Polish Academy of Sciences.[2]

In 1955, Baka joined the Polish United Workers' Party and served on its Central Committee. From 1972 to 1973, he headed the committee's propaganda department and subsequently worked in its economic departments. From 1981 to 1985, he was a minister without portfolio in the Council of Ministers, where he helped to plan economic reform. From 1985 to 1988 and 1989 to 1991, he was president of the National Bank of Poland. He represented the communist government for their social and economic policy in the 1989 Polish Round Table Agreement. He also served on the Consultative Council of the Polish Council of State's chairman. He represented Poland at the World Bank in the late 1980s. He unsuccessfully ran for the Sejm in 1989.

In 2005, President Aleksander Kwaśniewski awarded Baka the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of the financial system in Poland, for achievements in research and teaching".[3] He had previously been awarded the Order's Knight's Cross, Commander's Cross,[4] and the Commander's Cross with Star.[5]

Władysław Baka died on 3 March 2021 at the age of 84.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Zmarł prof. Władysław Baka". Związek Banków Polskich (in Polish). 3 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Dane osoby z katalogu kierowniczych stanowisk partyjnych i państwowych PRL". Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (in Polish).
  3. ^ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 24 lutego 2005 r. o nadaniu orderów i odznaczeń". Internetowy System Aktów Prawnych (in Polish). 2005.
  4. ^ "Władysław Baka". Seminaria (in Polish).
  5. ^ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 15 kwietnia 1997 r. o nadaniu orderów i odznaczeń". Internetowy System Aktów Prawnych (in Polish). 1997.
  6. ^ "Prof. Władysław Baka nie żyje. Bankowiec, ekonomista, b. prezes NBP". Gazeta.pl (in Polish). 4 March 2021.