Word: spychalski
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...Toes. With the resignation of President Edward Ochab, who is 61 and nearly blind, Gomulka had sufficient strength in the Polish Sejm (Parliament) to have the post filled by a trusted lieutenant, Defense Minister Marian Spychalski, 62. The political fortunes of Spychalski, an architect by training, have waned and gained for 25 years with those of Gomulka. An underground Communist leader during World War II, he was arrested, imprisoned and tortured by Stalinists after Gomulka was purged in 1948. Never brought to trial, Spychalski left prison a cripple without toes, was made Defense Minister after Gomulka gained power...
Though the post of President is largely ceremonial, Gomulka needs a loyal supporter there. By putting in Spychalski, he also managed to thwart those who would have liked to see Premier Jozef Cyrankiewicz, 56, another Gomulka backer, shifted to the ceremonial post, where his moderating influence on the government would be neutralized. Into Spychalski's place as Defense Minister, Gomulka managed to put another supporter. He was Wojciech Jaruzelski, 44, the Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff. Aware of the factional struggle, Jaruzelski immediately appointed three new vice ministers to offset the anti-Gomulka cast...