The Politburo was the highest political organ of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party, which existed from 1948 to 1990. The Politburo typically had between 9 and 15 members at any one time. Usually, several alternates (or candidates) were also elected to the Politburo, but unlike members, alternates did not possess voting rights.
The predecessor of the PUWP was the Polish Workers' Party (). In 1948, it merged with the Polish Socialist Party to form the PUWP. A chronological list of Politburo membership is provided below.
Politburo of the Polish Workers' Party, 1944–1948 Date Member From To Initial Committee August 1944 – December 1945 Władysław Gomułka August 1944 Bolesław Bierut August 1944 Jakub Berman August 1944 Hilary Minc August 1944 Aleksander Zawadzki August 1944 Marian Spychalski May 1945 Roman Zambrowski August 1945 1st Party Congress 6–13 December 1945 Władysław Gomułka 12 December 1945 3 September 1948 Bolesław Bierut 12 December 1945 Jakub Berman 12 December 1945 Hilary Minc 12 December 1945 Aleksander Zawadzki 12 December 1945 Marian Spychalski 12 December 1945 Roman Zambrowski 12 December 1945 Stanisław Radkiewicz 12 December 1945 Franciszek Jóźwiak 3 September 1948Hilary Chełchowski (A) 3 September 1948Franciszek Mazur (A) 3 September 1948 Edward Ochab (A) 3 September 1948
Politburo of the Polish United Workers Party, 1948–1990 Date Member from to 1st Party Congress 15–22 December 1948 Bolesław Bierut 21 December 1948 Jakub Berman 21 December 1948 Hilary Minc 21 December 1948Aleksander Zawadzki 21 December 1948 Marian Spychalski 21 December 1948 13 November 1949 Roman Zambrowski 21 December 1948 Franciszek Jóźwiak 21 December 1948 Józef Cyrankiewicz 21 December 1948 Stanisław Radkiewicz 21 December 1948 Adam Rapacki 21 December 1948 17 March 1954 Henryk Świątkowski 21 December 1948 10 May 1950Franciszek Mazur 10 May 1950Konstantin Rokossovsky 10 May 1950Hilary Chełchowski (A) 21 December 1948Franciszek Mazur (A) 21 December 1948 10 May 1950Edward Ochab (A) 21 December 1948 17 March 1954 Stefan Matuszewski (A) 21 December 1948 17 March 1954 Zenon Nowak (A) 10 May 1950 17 March 1954 Władysław Dworakowski (A) 15 May 1952 17 March 1954 2nd Party Congress 10–17 March 1954Bolesław Bierut 17 March 1954 12 March 1956Jakub Berman 17 March 1954 4 May 1956Hilary Minc 17 March 1954 10 October 1956Aleksander Zawadzki 17 March 1954Roman Zambrowski 17 March 1954 Franciszek Jóźwiak 17 March 1954 21 October 1956 Józef Cyrankiewicz 17 March 1954 Stanisław Radkiewicz 17 March 1954 19 April 1956 Edward Ochab 17 March 1954Konstantin Rokossovsky 17 March 1954 21 October 1956Zenon Nowak 17 March 1954 21 October 1956Franciszek Mazur 17 March 1954 21 October 1956Władysław Dworakowski 17 March 1954 21 October 1956Adam Rapacki 28 July 1956Edward Gierek 28 July 1956 21 October 1956Roman Nowak 28 July 1956 21 October 1956Adam Rapacki (A) 17 March 1954 28 July 1956Hilary Chełchowski (A) 17 March 1954 21 October 1956 Composition from 21 October 1956 Władysław Gomułka 21 October 1956Aleksander Zawadzki 21 October 1956Roman Zambrowski 21 October 1956 Józef Cyrankiewicz 21 October 1956 Edward Ochab 21 October 1956Adam Rapacki 21 October 1956Stefan Jędrychowski 21 October 1956Ignacy Loga-Sowiński 21 October 1956Jerzy Morawski 21 October 1956 3rd Party Congress 10–19 March 1959 Władysław Gomułka 19 March 1959 Aleksander Zawadzki 19 March 1959 Roman Zambrowski 19 March 1959 July 1963 Józef Cyrankiewicz 19 March 1959 Edward Ochab 19 March 1959 Adam Rapacki 19 March 1959 Stefan Jędrychowski 19 March 1959 Ignacy Loga-Sowiński 19 March 1959 Jerzy Morawski 19 March 1959 October 1959Edward Gierek 19 March 1959 Marian Spychalski 19 March 1959 Zenon Kliszko 19 March 1959 4th Party Congress 15–20 June 1964 Władysław Gomułka 20 June 1964Aleksander Zawadzki 20 June 1964 7 August 1964 Józef Cyrankiewicz 20 June 1964 Edward Ochab 20 June 1964 9 July 1968Adam Rapacki 20 June 1964 16 November 1968Stefan Jędrychowski 20 June 1964Ignacy Loga-Sowiński 20 June 1964Edward Gierek 20 June 1964 Marian Spychalski 20 June 1964Zenon Kliszko 20 June 1964Eugeniusz Szyr 20 June 1964 16 November 1968Franciszek Waniołka 20 June 1964 16 November 1968Ryszard Strzelecki 21 November 1964Bolesław Jaszczuk 9 July 1968Ryszard Strzelecki (A) 20 June 1964 21 November 1964Piotr Jaroszewicz (A) 20 June 1964Mieczysław Jagielski (A) 20 June 1964Bolesław Jaszczuk (A)1964? 9 July 1968 5th Party Congress 11–16 November 1968 Władysław Gomułka 16 November 1968 20 December 1970 Józef Cyrankiewicz 16 November 1968Stefan Jędrychowski 16 November 1968Ignacy Loga-Sowiński 16 November 1968Edward Gierek 16 November 1968 Marian Spychalski 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Zenon Kliszko 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Ryszard Strzelecki 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Bolesław Jaszczuk 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Stanisław Kociołek 16 November 1968Wladysław Kruczek 16 November 1968Józef Tejchma 16 November 1968Piotr Jaroszewicz (A) 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Mieczysław Jagielski (A) 16 November 1968Mieczysław Moczar (A) 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Jan Szydlak (A) 16 November 1968 20 December 1970Composition from 20 December 1970Edward Gierek 20 December 1970 Józef Cyrankiewicz 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Stefan Jędrychowski 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Ignacy Loga-Sowiński 20 December 1970 7 February 1971Stanisław Kociołek 20 December 1970 7 February 1971Władysław Kruczek 20 December 1970Józef Tejchma 20 December 1970Piotr Jaroszewicz 20 December 1970Mieczysław Moczar 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Jan Szydlak 20 December 1970Edward Babiuch 20 December 1970Stefan Olszowski 20 December 1970Mieczysław Jagielski (A) 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Wojciech Jaruzelski (A) 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Henryk Jabłoński (A) 20 December 1970 11 December 1971Józef Kępa (A) 20 December 19706th Party Congress 6–11 December 1971Edward Gierek 11 December 1971Władysław Kruczek 11 December 1971Józef Tejchma 11 December 1971Piotr Jaroszewicz 11 December 1971Jan Szydlak 11 December 1971Edward Babiuch 11 December 1971Stefan Olszowski 11 December 1971Mieczysław Jagielski 11 December 1971Wojciech Jaruzelski 11 December 1971Henryk Jabłoński 11 December 1971Franciszek Szlachcic 11 December 1971 12 December 1975Józef Kępa (A) 11 December 1971 12 December 1975Stanisław Kania (A) 11 December 1971 12 December 1975Zdzisław Grudzień (A) 11 December 1971 12 December 1975Kazimierz Barcikowski (A) 11 December 1971Stanisław Kowalczyk (A) April 1973 12 December 19757th Party Congress 8–12 December 1975Edward Gierek 12 December 1975Wladysław Kruczek 12 December 1975Józef Tejchma 12 December 1975 15 February 1980Piotr Jaroszewicz 12 December 1975 15 February 1980Jan Szydlak 12 December 1975Edward Babiuch 12 December 1975Stefan Olszowski 12 December 1975 15 February 1980Mieczysław Jagielski 12 December 1975Wojciech Jaruzelski 12 December 1975Henryk Jabłoński 12 December 1975Józef Kępa 12 December 1975 15 February 1980Stanisław Kania 12 December 1975Zdzisław Grudzień 12 December 1975Stanisław Kowalczyk 12 December 1975Kazimierz Barcikowski (A) 12 December 1975Tadeusz Wrzaszczyk (A) 12 December 1975Jerzy Łukaszewicz (A) 12 December 19758th Party Congress 11–15 February 1980Edward Gierek 15 February 1980 6 September 1980Władysław Kruczek 15 February 1980 2 December 1980Jan Szydlak 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Edward Babiuch 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Mieczysław Jagielski 15 February 1980 19 July 1981Wojciech Jaruzelski 15 February 1980Henryk Jabłoński 15 February 1980 19 July 1981Stanisław Kania 15 February 1980Zdzisław Grudzień 15 February 1980 6 October 1980Stanisław Kowalczyk 15 February 1980 2 December 1980Tadeusz Wrzaszczyk 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Jerzy Łukaszewicz 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Aloizy Karkoszka 15 February 1980 19 November 1980Andrzej Werblan 15 February 1980 2 December 1980Stefan Olszowski 24 August 1980Józef Pińkowski 24 August 198030, April 1981Kazimierz Barcikowski 6 September 1980Andrzej Żabiński 6 September 1980 19 July 1981Mieczysław Moczar 2 December 1980 19 July 1981Tadeusz Grabski 2 December 1980 19 July 1981Gerard Gabryś 30 April 1981 19 July 1981Zygmunt Wroński 30 April 1981 19 July 1981Kazimierz Barcikowski (A) 15 February 1980 6 September 1980Józef Pińkowski (A) 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Zdzislaw Żandarowski (A) 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Tadeusz Pyka (A) 15 February 1980 24 August 1980Emil Wojtaszek (A) 15 February 198030, April 1981Andrzej Żabiński (A) 24 August 1980 6 September 1980Jerzy Waszczuk (A) 24 August 1980 19 July 1981Władysław Kruk (A) 6 October 1980 19 July 1981Roman Ney (A) 6 October 1980 19 July 1981Tadeusz Fiszbach (A) 2 December 1980 19 July 1981Józef Masny (A) 30 April 1981 19 July 19819th Party Congress 14–20 July 1981Stanisław Kania 19 July 1981Oct 1981Wojciech Jaruzelski 19 July 1981Stefan Olszowski 19 July 1981 11 November 1985Kazimierz Barcikowski 19 July 1981Zbigniew Messner 19 July 1981Tadeusz Czechowicz 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Józef Czyrek 19 July 1981Zofia Grzyb 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Hieronim Kubiak 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Jan Labecki 19 July 1981 16 July 1982Mirosław Milewski 19 July 1981 14 May 1985Stanisław Opałko 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Tadeusz Porębski 19 July 1981Jerzy Romanik 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Albin Siwak 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Marian Woźniak 16 July 1982Stanisław Kalkus 16 July 1982 3 July 1986Jan Głowczyk (A) 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Włodzimierz Mokrzyszczak (A) 19 July 1981 3 July 1986Florian Siwicki (A) 28 October 1981 3 July 1986Marian Woźniak (A) 25 February 1982 16 July 1982Czesław Kiszczak (A) 25 February 1982 3 July 1986Stanisław Bejger (A) 16 July 1982Marian Orzechowski (A) 15 October 1983 3 July 198610th Party Congress 29 – 3 July 1986Wojciech Jaruzelski 3 July 1986 29 July 1989Kazimierz Barcikowski 3 July 1986 29 July 1989Zbigniew Messner 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Józef Czyrek 3 July 1986 29 July 1989Tadeusz Porebski 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Marian Woźniak 3 July 1986 14 July 1988Jan Głowczyk 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Włodzimierz Mokrzyszczak 3 July 1986 14 July 1988Florian Siwicki 3 July 1986Czesław Kiszczak 3 July 1986Marian Orzechowski 3 July 1986Józef Baryła 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Zofia Stepień 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Zygmunt Murański 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Alfred Miodowicz 3 July 1986 29 July 1989Mieczysław Rakowski 15 December 1987Władysław Baka 14 July 1988Kazimierz Cypryniak 21 December 1988Iwona Lubowska 21 December 1988Wiktor Pyrkosz 21 December 1988Janusz Reykowski 21 December 1988Zdzisław Świątek 21 December 1988Stanisław Ciosek 21 December 1988 29 July 1989Zbigniew Michalek 21 December 1988Gabriela Rembisz 21 December 1988Stanisław Bejger (A) 3 July 1986 14 July 1988Bogumił Ferensztajn (A) 3 July 1986 15 December 1987Zbigniew Michałek (A) 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Gabriela Rembisz (A) 3 July 1986 21 December 1988Janusz Kubasiewicz (A) 3 July 1986 29 July 1989Manfred Gorywoda (A) 15 December 1987 29 July 1989Stanisław Ciosek (A) 14 July 1988 21 December 1988Zdzisław Balicki (A) 21 December 1988Marek Holdakowski (A) 21 December 1988Zbigniew Sobotka (A) 21 December 1988Composition