Kowalczyk brothers

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Ryszard Kowalczyk (born 20 February 1937) and his younger brother Jerzy Kowalczyk - Polish brothers who planted a bomb as a protest.

The Kowalczyk brothers were scientists at Opole University. They planted a bomb there on 6 October 1971 as a protest against the violence perpetrated by the communist authorities against the workers' protest. A big celebration for the Służba Bezpieczeństwa and Milicja Obywatelska was to take place at the University on the following day.

Although no-one was injured, the Kowalczyks were quickly captured. On 8 September 1972 the Opole court sentenced Jerzy to death and Ryszard his helper to 25 years in prison. The sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court on 18 December 1972. Such severe sentences resulted in protests involving Jan Józef Szczepański, Wisława Szymborska, Jerzy Szacki, Stanisław Lem, Daniel Olbrychski and Catholic authorities. On 19 January 1973 the Council of State reduced Jerzy Kowalczyk's sentence to 25 years in prison.

With the rise of Solidarity in the 1980s, pardons were issued and the brothers were freed for good behaviour: Ryszard in 1983 and Jerzy in 1985. In 1991 President Lech Wałęsa decided that their sentences were legally forgotten which also allowed them to work again.

This entry is based on Polish Wikipedia article pl:Bracia Kowalczykowie.