Adam Michnik

Garbės daktaras / Honorary Doctor (Suteiktas vardas 2008-10-15)

In 2009, Adam Michnik, a distinguished Polish intellectual, historian, journalist, editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza, one of the leaders of the Solidarity movement in Poland, and a dissident, was awarded the regalia of VMU Honorary Doctor.

Adam Michnik was born on 17 October 1946 in Warsaw. In 1964, he began studying history at the University of Warsaw, from which he was expelled for his dissident activities. In 1968, he took part in student protests against the banning of the play Forefathers’ Eve by Adam Mickiewicz at the National Theatre and was imprisoned from 1968 to 1970. From 1977 to 1980, he was a member of the Workers’ Defence Committee (KOR) and contributed to the illegal press. From 1980 to 1981, he served as an adviser to the Mazovian Regional Board of Solidarity. Following the imposition of martial law, he was interned from 1981 to 1982 and imprisoned in 1983–1984 and again in 1985–1986. In 1989, he took part in the Round Table Talks, and that same year was elected to the Sejm for a three-year term. From 1989 to 2004, he served as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza.

Adam Michnik is one of the main ideologues of post-communist Poland and an opponent of lustration. He is the author of several journalistic books. He actively supported Lithuania’s bid for independence (he came to Vilnius during the events of January 1991) and the cooperation between Lithuania and Poland. Among many other international awards, in 2001, he was awarded the Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas for his contribution to the development of relations between Lithuania and Poland. In 2000, he was included in the list of World Press Freedom Heroes.

Based on information provided by VMU Library.