Recordings recently revealed by TV Republika show that the 2019 letter attributed to Maciej Giertych was, in fact, orchestrated by his son, Roman Giertych, who leveraged his father’s authority to serve the goals of the then-opposition. The news outlet Niezalezna.pl now recalls a passage from a 1982 letter by Giertych Sr., in which he praised the imposition of martial law in Poland. “It is good that someone had the resolve to intervene decisively and prevent a revolution that was leading Poland to disaster in every respect,” wrote Maciej Giertych, commending General Jaruzelski’s decision.
Maciej Giertych, a long-standing and polarizing figure on Poland’s political and social stage, has repeatedly made statements that have sparked heated public debate. His declarations—often grounded in conservative and Catholic values—have been employed in various political contexts. One such moment occurred in 2019, when, ahead of the parliamentary elections, an open letter bearing his name was published. Addressed to Catholics and conservatives, it warned against voting for the Law and Justice (PiS) party. Recent revelations indicate that the letter was in fact authored by his son, Roman Giertych, shedding new light on the letter’s intent and background.
The 2019 Letter: Behind the Scenes
In September 2019, just one month before the parliamentary elections, the website naTemat.pl—owned by Tomasz Lis—published an open letter signed by Maciej Giertych. In it, addressed to “lay Catholics,” the author warned against supporting PiS, claiming the party was acting contrary to Christian and democratic values. The letter quickly gained traction, republished by outlets such as Gazeta Wyborcza and Onet, and became part of the opposition’s campaign, particularly that of the Polish People’s Party (PSL), aimed at attracting wavering conservative voters.
Recordings released this week by Telewizja Republika reveal that the concept and text of the letter originated with Roman Giertych, a prominent Civic Platform politician and former leader of the League of Polish Families. In a recorded conversation with his father, Roman asked directly:
“Dad, I have a question because I have this idea. Would you agree if I drafted a letter that you could sign and address to conservative, lay Catholics in Poland?”
Although initially hesitant, Maciej Giertych eventually agreed to let his son prepare a draft, which he would then approve. Roman explained that his own writing style was “better suited to the present day,” which he believed would increase the letter’s impact.
The recordings also show that Roman Giertych actively worked to secure the letter’s publication, reaching out to journalists including Tomasz Lis, Jarosław Kurski (Gazeta Wyborcza), Kamil Dziubka (Onet), as well as politicians such as Michał Kamiński and Stanisław Gawłowski. His objective was to maximize the letter’s exposure, particularly among Catholic voters who might be persuaded to turn away from PiS in favor of PSL. In a conversation with Gawłowski, Giertych requested help in having the letter published on Onet, aiming to avoid the perception that Gazeta Wyborcza was the primary promoter.
Commenting on the recordings, PiS MP Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk said: “These tapes reveal the kinds of methods Giertych is willing to use. What strikes me most is the human aspect—that he was even willing to exploit his own father.”
Echoes of the Past – Support for Martial Law
The 2019 letter is not the only instance in which Maciej Giertych engaged in controversial public discourse. In 1982, writing for the quarterly Opoka, he openly supported the introduction of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski. In the full passage of the letter, he wrote:
“Some of my readers may not like this, but I state openly that I believe it was a good thing that the coup of December 13 took place. It is good that someone had the willpower to decisively prevent a revolution that was driving Poland into disaster on every front. (…) I cannot agree with the view that the December 13 coup was a Soviet political maneuver. All evidence suggests that it was a Polish decision.”
Giertych later explained that his support for martial law stemmed from his belief that it had prevented a Soviet invasion, which, in his view, spared Poland from even greater harm.
As seen in both 1982 and 2019, Maciej Giertych’s statements have been used to influence public opinion at critical political junctures. In 1982, his article in Opoka aligned with the narrative of the communist regime, which portrayed martial law as a necessary measure. In 2019, although formally signed by him, his letter served the goals of the opposition, with its content shaped by his son.