# Mieczysław Rakowski

_Former First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party (1926–2008)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/mieczysaw-rakowski
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Mieczysław Franciszek Rakowski was a Polish communist politician, historian and journalist who was Prime Minister of Poland from 1988 to 1989. He served as the seventh and final First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party from 1989 to 1990.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1 December 1926 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Kowalewko-Folwark ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P19))
- **Died:** 8 November 2008 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P570))
- **Place of death:** Warsaw ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Poland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P27))
- **Occupation:** journalist; historian; politician; writer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P106))
- **Political party:** Polish United Workers' Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P102))
- **Education:** Institute of Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P69))
- **Spouse:** Wanda Wiłkomirska; Elżbieta Kępińska ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P26))
- **Positions held:** First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party (29 July 1989 – 29 January 1990); Prime Minister of Poland (27 September 1988 – 2 August 1989); member of the Sejm of the Polish People's Republic ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P39))
- **Awards:** Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland; Commander with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta; Work Flag Order, 1st class; Work Flag Order, 2nd class; Gold Cross of Merit‎; Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta; Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People's Poland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771#P166))

## Questions

**When was Mieczysław Rakowski born?**  
Mieczysław Rakowski was born on 1 December 1926 in Kowalewko-Folwark.

**What positions has Mieczysław Rakowski held?**  
Positions held by Mieczysław Rakowski include: First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party (1989–1990); Prime Minister of Poland (1988–1989); member of the Sejm of the Polish People's Republic.

**Where did Mieczysław Rakowski study?**  
Mieczysław Rakowski was educated at Institute of Social Sciences at the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party.

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- [Stanisław Stomma](https://diginpl.com/people/stanisaw-stomma)
- [Franz Joseph I](https://diginpl.com/people/franz-joseph-i)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Mieczysław Rakowski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieczys%C5%82aw_Rakowski) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q559771](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q559771) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Mieczysław Rakowski.jpg by Dawid Skoblewski (CC BY 2.5)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mieczys%C5%82aw_Rakowski.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Mieczysław Rakowski, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Mieczysław Rakowski.jpg — Dawid Skoblewski, CC BY 2.5.

## Cite this page

"Mieczysław Rakowski". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/mieczysaw-rakowski. Retrieved 9 November 2026.