Partisans (PUWP fraction)

The ideology of the "Partisans" was called Endo-Communism, which Robert S. Wistrich described as "combining the assimilation of ideas with direct linkage to the prewar Endecja with proletarian rhetoric—producing a “peculiar marriage of authoritarian Communism and chauvinist nationalist tendencies". While under Władysław Gomułka the entire Polish United Workers' Party embraced ethno-nationalism to some extent, the "Partisans" represented the most radical and prominent example of ethno-nationalism, and their beliefs included a strong anti-Zionist element.^[1]

The "Partisans" preached a specific veteran ethos with elements of extreme nationalism (chauvinism). This chauvinism was directed mainly against Germans, Ukrainians, then also against Jews, following the course of the "natolinians", who were attributed a decisive role in Stalinist repression in Poland. In a more secretive manner they also directed their hostility towards the Soviets, opposing the communist partisan fighters to those who came to Poland with the Soviet army (in "greatcoats"). The faction presented itself as Communist nationalists.

The basis for the ideology of "partisans" was provided by numerous publications concerning the fights conducted by communist partisans, especially "Barwy Walki" by Moczar himself.

Officially, the "partisans" proclaimed loyalty to Władysław Gomułka, while in unofficial contacts suggested replacing him with someone more energetic and younger.

In fact, the objective pursued was to increase influence in the Polish United Workers' Party, which was combined with the desire to remove the older generation of activists, often of Jewish origin, from their positions.^[5] For this purpose, anti-Semitism and postulates of fight against cosmopolitanism, contrasted with patriotism, were used. The support from people of Jewish origin for Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 and the participation of children of some opposition activists in the student protests were exaggerated to this end.^[5] The actions of the "partisans" were directed mainly against the remains of the "Puławianie" group. It is not entirely clear whether the "partisans" were planning to overthrow Gomułka or whether they wanted to secure Moczar's position as a second person in the party. The climax of the role of "partisans" was constituted by anti-Semitic purges in the party and state institutions after March 1968.

The "Partisans" sought to reconfigure the national memory of the Holocaust where the ethnic Polish wartime martyrdom and suffering would be stressed instead of the emphasis of Jewish victims. This goal to change the narrative on the Holocaust resulted in the rewriting of the 8th volume of the Great Universal Encyclopedia (Polish: Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna). The original volume made a distinction between extermination camps in which almost all victims were Jews, and concentration camps where many prisoners were ethnic Poles instead. The "Partisans" accused the authors of anti-Polonism and had the volume rewritten - in the corrected version, it was instead stated that Poles and Jews suffered equally under the Holocaust.^[1]