The beginnings of the career of a Cracovian communist on the example of the life of Menasche Grünspan (Roman Romkowski) in the years 1907-1930

The article presents the beginnings of the political career of Roman Romkowski (born Menasche Grünspan), one of the most infl uential Communists in the public security services of the Polish People’s Republic and the deputy minister in the Ministry of Public Security. He was born in 1907 in Cracow to a poor Jewish working-class family. Most probably, he took his fi rst steps in the direction of the Communist movement under the infl uence of his elder siblings. At fi rst, he was active within the trade unions and the Poale Zion Left. In 1924 he became a member of the Communist Youth Association (ZMK) in Poland. In the Cracow Regional Committee of ZMK, he was in charge of the so-called technology, the secretary of one of the district units of ZMK, and (in 1927 and 1930) President of the Cracow Committee. He was repeatedly arrested and tried for his involvement. In 1930 he was sent to study in Moscow, which opened a new stage of his political career.