Roman Romkowski’s amnesty: The role of an assistant to the minister of public security in the preparation, execution and evaluation of the 1947 amnesty

The article presents the significant influence of Colonel Roman Romkowski (an assistant to the minister in the Ministry of Public Security) on the organization and course of the amnesty, which was announced in Poland shortly after the elections in 1947. The hidden purpose of the amnesty was elimination of the independence underground, the greatest enemy of the communists in Poland. In order to accomplish this task, Romkowski had to implement special working methods in the public security services. They made it possible to obtain information on a large number of exposed underground soldiers and subject them to strict invigilation by the security service. Despite Romkowski’s critical assessment of the final results of the amnesty, it was considered a great success.