Maciej Klich

Maciej Klich (Mattias Jan-Maria) [ˈmat͡ɕɛj klʲix'] (born 28 February 1958) is a Polish historian, graphic artist, and former anti-communist Polish independence activist. In 1980, Klich co-founded the Independent Students' Association (Polish: Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów, NZS) in Silesia. Klich was interned on 24 December 1981, during the martial law set by the communist regime in Poland. In internment camps, Klich created 70+ stamps for the so-called "camp mail". Klich was released on 23 July 1982. After his release, Klich participated in the underground Solidarity, and the underground Independent Students' Association.

In 1984, Klich had to forcefully immigrate to Stockholm, Sweden, due to a "forced migration" set by the communist regime in Poland. He was then banned from entering Poland from 1984 until the regime's fall in 1989. After immigrating to Sweden, Klich would help Lithuanian children in international summer camps and would sponsor International Scout Integration Camps from 1992 to 2001.

Personal life

Family Maciej Klich is the son of Antoni Stanislaw and Olga Wiktoria, from the Ozga family. He also has a younger sister.

Early life Maciej Klich was born on 28 February 1958, in Kraków. Klich moved to Częstochowa in his early childhood due to his father changing jobs. Later, in 1964, Klich moved to Katowice. Klich also took part in scouting throughout his childhood. After graduating from the University of Silesia, he began to study architecture at the Silesian University of Technology from 1981 to 1984.

Dissident activity

In the Polish People's Republic Klich was actively cooperating with the Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights in Kraków (1977–1988). In 1980, Klich was one of the co-founders to the Independent Students' Association (Polish: Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów, NZS) in Silesia.

From 1980 to 1981, Klich was the secretary of the Regional Coordination Committee (Polish: Regionalny Komitet Koordynacyjny NZS, RKK NZS) of the NZS University of Upper Silesia and the Inter-faculty Coordination Committee (Polish: Międzywydziałowy Komitet Koordynacyjny NZS, MKK NZS) of the NZS University of Silesia.

In 1981, he became the chairman of the University Audit Committee of the NZS University of Silesia and the Departmental Audit Committee (Polish: Wydziałowa Komisja Rewizyjna, WKR) of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Silesia. Klich co-founded the Intercollegiate Committee for the Defense of Prisoners' Beliefs in Silesia (Polish: Międzyuczelniany Komitet Obrony Więzionych za Przekonania, KOWzaP) in 1981. From 1981, he was a member of the Confederation of Independent Poland (Polish: Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej, KPN).

He was interned from 24 December 1981, to 23 July 1982, after martial law was imposed in Poland on 12 December 1981. He made about 70 stamps in the internment camps as part of the so-called camp mail. He was active in underground solidarity, including being a part of the structures of the Municipal Resistance Committees (Polish: Miejskie Komitety Oporu, MKO).

He distributed and was the editor of the underground press and the radio station "Solidarność". He also participated in the underground structures of the NZS. In the years 1980–84, Klich created graphic forms for the use of trade union and pro-independence organizations from Upper Silesia (including posters, leaflets, signs, illustrations for magazines, and stamps).

The stamps and camp stamps that Klich had created, among other things, were distributed at shows: In Chicago 1983; Stockholm 1986; "Poza cenzurą – Mail of the internees 1981–1982, Zabrze 1990"; In Ratingen (Germany), 2001; Jastrzebie Zdroj – display "Miasto pod specjalnym nadzorem: Jastrzębie Zdrój czasu stanu wojennego", 2006/2007; Jasło 2008 and Rapperswil 2009.

Emigration to Sweden Maciej Klich with Polish President Bronisław Komorowski on May 3, 2013. In 1984, Klich was forced to leave Poland to emigrate to Sweden. He was awaiting trial and faced up to six years in jail for anti-communist activity. The Polish government gave Klich the opportunity to leave Poland and migrate to Sweden. Klich fled to Sweden, and was banned from entering Poland until the regime's fall in 1989.

Badges

2000 - Silver Merit Cross, for scouting activity 2018 - Honorary badge of Anti-communist activist or a person repressed for political reasons 2020 - Medal "Pro Patria" for extraordinary contributions in maintaining the historical memory of the Republic of Poland. 2022 - Medal of the Centenary of Regained Independence for exceptional contributions to the state and society.

Awards 2019 - "Nagroda Specjalna", awarded by "Nową Gazetę Polską" in Stockholm

Books

2018 - "Niepokorny, Historia lat 1976–1989", Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN)), Warsaw-Katowice 2018. 2021 - "Upadła nadzieja, Geneza stanu wojennego z 13 grudnia 1981 roku", "Wydawnictwo Polonica", Stockholm 2021. 2022 - "Stracone złudzenia, Wspomnienie strajku studenckiego na Wydziale Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Śląskiego w Katowicach w listopadzie i grudniu 1981 roku", "Instytut Pamięci Narodowej", Katowice 2021

Publicity

2018 – "Refleksje o współczesnej Polsce", Nowa Gazeta Polska, Stockholm No. 2, 28 January 2018 (part 1), No. 3 11 February 2018 (part 2), No. 4 25 February 2018 (part 3) (NGP, ), 2021 – "Stan wojenny, 13 grudnia 1989, geneza", Nowa Gazeta Polska, Stockholm No. 18, 10 October 2021 (part 1), No. 21 21 November 2021 (part 2), No. 22 12 May 2021 (part 3) (NGP, ), 2022 – "Studenci 1981. Wspomnienie o strajku studenckim na Wydziale Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Śląskiego i wprowadzeniu stanu wojennego", "CzasyPismo" No. 2 ( / 2021, "CzasyPismo o historii Górnego Śląska" 2(20)/2021" 2022 - "Leon Neuger - Komemoracja" in "Gry międzyludzkie Leona Neugera" edited by Aleksander Fiut, Elżbieta Jogałła i Elżbieta Tabakowska, publishing house "Austeria", Kraków-Budapest-Syracuse 2022 (pages 169–184).

Interviews

2006 – Dana Platter – "Maćka Klicha przygoda z opozycją", Stockholm No. 12-2006 (Relations, ), 2019 – Tadeusz Nowakowski – "To co łączyło nas kiedyś, łączy nas i dzisiaj". "Nowa Gazeta Polska", Stockholm No. 14, 18 August 2019 (NGP, ),

Business work

1988–2021 – advertising and graphic company "MJK Grafik Reklam" (managing director), 1998–2012 – technological and computer-themed firm "EMICO Computers" (Business Owner), 2010–2024 – Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Stockholm.

Biograms

2013 - "Leksykon emigracji polskiej w Szwecji, do 2012 roku", written by Tadeusz Nowakowski, publishing house "Polonica", Stockholm 2013, 2021 - "Precz z komuną, Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów w województwie katowickim w latach 1980-1990", authors: Przemysław Miśkiewicz, Łukasz Kobiela, "Stowarzyszenie Pokolenie" and Museum of Silesia 2021, 2023 - "Encyklopedia Solidarności. Tom 5. Opozycja w PRL 1976-1989", Instytut Pamieci Narodowej 2023, 2024 - Biography on the website: https://encysol.pl/es/encyklopedia/biogramy/42721,Klich-Maciej.html (Access: 04.01.2024)