1st Edition of the Award
In June 2016, the first Józef Oleksy Award ceremony took place in the Column Hall of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. Prof. Karol Modzelewski became the laureate of the first edition of the Józef Oleksy.
This year's award was presented by Maria Oleksy and President
Aleksander Kwaśniewski. The ceremony took place on June 18, 2016 in
the Sejm's column Hall, where over 400 people gathered.
The meeting was chaired by Jerzy Wenderlich, deputy chairman of SLD
and former deputy speaker of the Sejm. He emphasized that it had "a
common bond, which is friendship and a good memory of Jozef Oleksy".
Andrzej Kratiuk, a friend of Józef Oleksy and one of the originators
of his commemoration, spoke about the need to preserve the memory and
continue the achievements of the patron of the Award. He recalled how
in January 2015, after the death of Józef Oleksy, people from his
environment recognized that his achievements and the values which he
was faithful cannot be forgotten. That is why the Award will be given
to those who, in their activities and life, are faithful to the ideas
that guided Józef Oleksy. The Honorary Committee and the Chapter
recognized prof. Karol Modzelewski. As Maria Oleksy said during the
ceremony, the Professor was an example and an authority for her
husband. In his speech, the laureate recalled the difficult time, when
at the turn of 1995 and 1996, after the false accusations against
Jozef Oleksy, only a few did not believe in the slander and did not
succumb to the atmosphere of the political campaign.
Karol Modzelewski was born on November 23, 1937, a historian;
professor of humanities; member of the Polish United Workers 'Party in
the years 1957 - 1964, expelled from the Polish United Workers' Party
after writing his "Letter to the Party" with Jacek Kuroń, then an
opposition activist, imprisoned and interned during martial law; in
the Third Republic of Poland, a senator of the first term, a knight of
the Order of the White Eagle.
The initiators of the award are the family and friends of Józef Oleksy
from the time of his political activity and scientific work at the
Warsaw School of Economics (former SGPiS). The Honorary Committee of
the Award is composed of: Aleksander Kwaśniewski - chairman, Andrzej
Kurz, Hieronim Kubiak, Jacek Majchrowski, Dariusz Rosati and Jerzy
Wenderlich.