President Karol Nawrocki appointed the members of the National Security Bureau (BBN) today. At its helm stands Prof. Sławomir Cenckiewicz, with two generals serving as his deputies: Gen. Andrzej Kowalski, who was head of the Military Intelligence Service (SWW) from 2015 to 2020, and retired Gen. Mirosław Bryś. “Prof. Sławomir Cenckiewicz is a man who has devoted his life to truth, national memory, and ensuring Poland’s security. He is a man who will undoubtedly be remembered by Polish history,” said the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki.
State Secretary, Head of the National Security Bureau (BBN) – Prof. Sławomir Cenckiewicz
As a historian, he has authored around 200 scholarly, popular-scientific, and source publications, which have gained recognition in both academic and patriotic circles. His most notable works include:
- Through the Eyes of the Security Services. Sketches and Materials on the History of the Security Apparatus in the PRL
- The SB and Lech Wałęsa. A Contribution to the Biography (co-authored with Piotr Gontarczyk)
- The Case of Lech Wałęsa
- Gdańsk December ’70
- Moscow’s Long Arm. The Military Intelligence of the People's Republic of Poland 1943–1991
- The Atomic Spy. Ryszard Kukliński and the Intelligence War
- Zgoda (co-authored with Michał Rachoń)
- The co-authored biography Lech Kaczyński. A Political Biography 1949–2005
Sławomir Cenckiewicz (b. 1971) is a respected historian, publicist, and academic lecturer. Born in Gdynia, he graduated from the Institute of History at the University of Gdańsk, where he earned his PhD and postdoctoral degree in the humanities. His professional career focuses on research into the history of special services, political emigration, and modern Polish history, with particular emphasis on the Polish People’s Republic (PRL) and the impact of communist structures on the present day. Cenckiewicz is regarded as a decisive figure with a strong character and a state-oriented mindset – a trait highlighted by Nawrocki, who stated that “the only cause he serves is the strength and stability of the Republic of Poland.” He was involved in national security policy, including the dissolution of the Military Information Services (WSI) and investigations into Russian influence.
These publications have solidified his position as a researcher uncovering the mechanisms of communist intelligence operations and their lingering influence on Polish politics. Cenckiewicz also co-created the documentary series Reset (TVP), which analyzed Polish-Russian relations during Donald Tusk’s government, sparking widespread public debate. His work is valued for its meticulousness and courage in addressing difficult subjects, although it has also provoked opposition from circles critical of his historical narrative.
Throughout his career, Cenckiewicz has held key roles in state institutions. From 2006 to 2007, he chaired the Commission for the Liquidation of the Military Information Services (WSI). In 2016, he was appointed Ministry of National Defence (MON) plenipotentiary for the reform of military archives and became Director of the Military Historical Bureau (WBH) (2016–2023). Between 2016 and 2021, he was a member of the College of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), and in 2023 he chaired the parliamentary commission investigating Russian influence on Poland’s security. He was dismissed from this position in November 2023 following the transfer of power to Donald Tusk’s government. Despite this, Cenckiewicz emphasizes a willingness to cooperate with the government in the field of security, stating that under his leadership, the BBN will serve as a substantive partner, not a “fortress of resistance.”
Cenckiewicz was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit in 2007 by President Lech Kaczyński for “exemplary and exceptionally diligent fulfillment of professional duties.” In May 2025, he won a personal rights lawsuit against Lech Wałęsa, who had accused him of falsifying documents regarding agent “Bolek”, thereby affirming Cenckiewicz’s credibility.
“The head of BBN is a widely recognized figure – I probably don’t need to recount the biography of Prof. Sławomir Cenckiewicz. I’ll just say this: he is a man who has devoted his life to truth, national memory, and ensuring Poland’s safety. He will certainly be remembered by Polish history. He has already done much for Polish history, for Poland, and for the Polish national community – and much more lies ahead. I am counting heavily on the professor, on the minister, in safeguarding the security of the Polish state,”
said President Karol Nawrocki during today’s ceremony.
Deputy Head of the National Security Bureau (BBN) – Brig. Gen. Andrzej Kowalski
Brig. Gen. Andrzej Kowalski is an experienced intelligence officer whose career spans both civilian and military intelligence, including roles in the Counterintelligence Department of the Office for State Protection (UOP) and the Internal Security Agency (ABW). In 2007, he served as acting head of the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) following the dismissal of Antoni Macierewicz. From 2015 to 2020, he headed the Military Intelligence Service (SWW) and was promoted to brigadier general by President Andrzej Duda in 2016.
In 2023, recommended by Law and Justice (PiS), he became a member of the parliamentary commission investigating Russian influence but, along with Cenckiewicz, was dismissed in November of that year.
His first task at BBN will be to establish the Department of Disruptive Technologies, tasked with analyzing changes on the battlefield (e.g., in Ukraine) and adapting new technologies to bolster Poland’s security.
Deputy Head of the National Security Bureau (BBN) – Brig. Gen. Mirosław Bryś
Brig. Gen. Mirosław Bryś is also a seasoned officer of the Polish Armed Forces. He began his military service in the early 1990s and participated in missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as deputy commander of the 6th Airborne Brigade and, in 2017, took command of the 4th Warmian-Masurian Territorial Defense Brigade. From 2023 to 2024, he led the Central Military Recruitment Center, achieving a satisfactory rate of enlistment into the army.
Dismissed in 2024 by Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Bryś transferred to the Inspectorate for Armed Forces Support after moving into reserve status. He is valued for his extensive military experience and dedication to army modernization, and his appointment strengthens the military dimension of BBN leadership.