The governments of Bolesław Bierut and Józef Cyrankiewicz were governments led first by Bolesław Bierut from 1952 to 1954, and then by Józef Cyrankiewicz from 1954 to 1956. Bolesław Bierut, who served as President of Poland from 1947 to 1952 and as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party from 1948 to 1956, was elected Prime Minister of Poland on November 20, 1952, by the 1st Sejm of the People's Republic of Poland, after the first government of Józef Cyrankiewicz resigned. On November 21, 1952, the Sejm appointed the ministers of the Bierut government. The Council of Ministers was composed of 39 members: the Prime Minister, 8 Deputy Prime Ministers and 30 ministers. Four ministries remained vacant. In 1954, Bolesław Bierut was dismissed from the position of Prime Minister and replaced by the former Deputy Prime Minister, Józef Cyrankiewicz. There were major changes in the composition of the Council of Ministers, first caused by the dismissal of Bolesław Bierut in 1954 and later by the events of Polish October. On February 20, 1957, the government submitted the resignation of the cabinet to the 2nd Sejm, which officially ended a week later when the second government of Józef Cyrankiewicz was appointed.
Council of Ministers of Bolesław Bierut and Józef Cyrankiewicz (1952–1957) Ministry Name Time in office Took office Left office Prime Minister Bolesław Bierut (PZPR) November 20, 1952Tranographic report from the 1st session of the Sejm of the Polish People's Republic on November 20, 1952 March 18, 1954Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 107 Deputy Prime Minister Józef Cyrankiewicz (PZPR) November 21, 1952Strenographic report from the 2nd session of the Sejm of the Polish People's Republic on November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 Prime Minister March 18, 1954 February 20, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Władysław Dworakowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 Chairman of the Committee for Public Security of the Council of Ministers December 14, 1954Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 108 March 30, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 109 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Tadeusz Gede (PZPR) November 21, 1952 October 24, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 111 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Piotr Jaroszewicz (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Until April 29, 1955, Minister of Mining (). May 14, 1954 March 23, 1956 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Stefan Jędrychowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 October 24, 1956 Chairman of the Planning Commission at the Council of MinistersUntil January 1, 1957, chairman of the State Economic Planning Commission (). July 11, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .113 February 27, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Hilary Minc (PZPR) November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 Chairman of the State Economic Planning Commission November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 1st Deputy Prime Minister March 18, 1954 October 10, 1956 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Zenon Nowak (PZPR) November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 1st Deputy Prime Minister March 18, 1954 October 24, 1956 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers October 24, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 112 February 27, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Konstanty Rokossowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 November 13, 1956 Minister of National Defense November 21, 1952 November 13, 1956 Minister of Municipal Economy (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 1, 1956 Minister of Education September 11, 1956 November 13, 1956 Minister of Industrial Construction (PZPR) November 21, 1952 July 14, 1956 Minister of State Agricultural Farms Hilary Chełchowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 December 7, 1954 Minister of Foreign Trade (PZPR) November 21, 1952 December 9, 1956 Minister of Agriculture (ZSL) November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 Minister of Forestry (ZSL) March 18, 1954 July 16, 1956 Minister of Forestry and Wood Industry (ZSL) July 17, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Finance (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of Agricultural and Food Industry (PZPR) November 21, 1952 July 16, 1956 Minister of Food Industry July 17, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Education Witold Jarosiński (PZPR) November 21, 1952 August 4, 1956 Minister of Energy Bolesław Jaszczuk (PZPR) November 21, 1952 July 7, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 110 Minister of Machinery Industry July 7, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister-head of the Office of the Council of Ministers Kazimierz Mijal (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 1, 1956 Minister of Municipal Economy February 1, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Internal Trade Marian Minor (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of Mining Ryszard Nieszporek (PZPR) November 21, 1952 May 14, 1954Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .108 Minister of Town and Estate Construction Roman Piotrowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 July 14, 1956 Minister of Forestry Bolesław Podedworny (ZSL) November 21, 1952 March 18, 1954 Minister of Shipping Mieczysław Popiel (PZPR) November 21, 1952 November 13, 1956 Minister of Public Security Stanisław Radkiewicz (PZPR) November 21, 1952 December 14, 1954 Minister of State Agricultural Farms December 7, 1954 April 19, 1956 Minister of Higher Education Adam Rapacki (PZPR) November 21, 1952 April 27, 1956 Minister of Foreign Affairs April 27, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Chemical Industry Bolesław Rumiński (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of Road and Air Transport Jan Rustecki (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of Foreign Affairs Stanisław Skrzeszewski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 April 27, 1956 Minister of Culture and Art Włodzimierz Sokorski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 April 19, 1956 Minister of Light Industry Eugeniusz Stawiński (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers May 4, 1956 October 24, 1956 Minister of Railways Ryszard Strzelecki (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of Health(). Jerzy Sztachelski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 November 13, 1956 Minister without portfolio November 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of CommunicationsUntil March 15, 1955 Minister of Posts and Telegraphs (). Wacław Szymanowski (ZSL) November 21, 1952 June 13, 1956 Minister of Justice Henryk Świątkowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 April 21, 1956 Minister of Machinery Industry Julian Tokarski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 April 16, 1955 Minister of the Automotive Industry April 22, 1955 June 20, 1956 Minister of Small Industry and Crafts Adam Żebrowski (PZPR) November 21, 1952 September 20, 1954 Minister of Metallurgy Kiejstut Żemaitis (PZPR) November 21, 1952 February 27, 1957 Minister of State Control Franciszek Jóźwiak (PZPR) December 12, 1952 April 16, 1955Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .109 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers April 16, 1955 October 24, 1956 Minister of Purchase Antoni Mierzwiński (PZPR) April 9, 1953Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, p. 107 February 27, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Jakub Berman (PZPR) March 18, 1954 May 4, 1956 Minister of Agriculture Edmund Pszczółkowski (PZPR) March 18, 1954 March 30, 1956 Chairman of the Committee for Public Security at the Council of Ministers March 30, 1956 November 28, 1956 Chairman of the State Economic Planning Commission Eugeniusz Szyr (PZPR) March 18, 1954 July 11, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .111 Minister of Construction July 14, 1956 November 13, 1956 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Stanisław Łapot (PZPR) May 14, 1954 October 24, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .112 Minister of Internal Affairs Władysław Wicha (PZPR) December 14, 1954 February 27, 1957 Minister of Building Materials Industry Stefan Pietrusiewicz (PZPR) March 1, 1955 February 27, 1957 Minister of Machinery Industry Roman Fidelski (PZPR) April 16, 1955 July 7, 1956 Minister of State Control Roman Zambrowski (PZPR) April 16, 1955 October 24, 1956 Minister of Coal Mining Franciszek Waniołka (PZPR) March 23, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Stanisław Zawadzki (PZPR) March 23, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Agriculture Antoni Kuligowski (PZPR) March 30, 1956 January 10, 1957Tadeusz Mołdawa, Ludzie władzy, 1944–1991: władze państwowe i polityczne Polski według stanu na dzień 28 II 1991, PWN 1991, s. 113 Minister of Culture and Art Karol Kuryluk (PZPR) April 19, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of State Agricultural Farms Mieczysław Moczar (PZPR) April 19, 1956Tadeusz Mołdawa, People of power, 1944–1991: Polish state and political authorities as of February 28, 1991, PWN 1991, pp. .110 December 1, 1956 Minister of Justice Zofia Wasilkowska (PZPR) April 27, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Higher Education Stefan Żółkiewski (PZPR) April 27, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Communications Jan Rabanowski (SD) June 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of small industry and crafts Zygmunt Moskwa (SD) July 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Stefan Ignar (ZSL) October 24, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Health Rajmund Barański November 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Education Władysław Bieńkowski (PZPR) November 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Shipping Stanisław Darski November 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of National Defence Marian Spychalski (PZPR) November 13, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Foreign Trade Witold Trąmpczyński (PZPR) December 9, 1956 February 27, 1957 Minister of Agriculture Edward Ochab (PZPR) January 10, 1957 February 27, 1957
On the day of his swearing-in, November 21, 1952 Bolesław Bierut (PZPR) – President of the Council of Ministers Józef Cyrankiewicz (PZPR) – Deputy President of the Council of Ministers Władysław Dworakowski (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Tadeusz Gede (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Piotr Jaroszewicz (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Stefan Jędrychowski (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Hilary Minc (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Zenon Nowak (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Konstanty Rokossowski (PZPR) – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of National Defense Feliks Baranowski (PZPR) – Minister of Municipal Economy Czesław Bąbiński (PZPR) – Minister of Industrial Construction Hilary Chełchowski (PZPR) – Minister of State Agricultural Farms Konstanty Dąbrowski (PZPR) – Minister of Foreign Trade Jan Dąb-Kocioł (ZSL) – Minister of Agriculture Tadeusz Dietrich (PZPR) – Minister of Finance Mieczysław Hoffmann (PZPR) – Minister of Agricultural and Food Industry Witold Jarosiński (PZPR) – Minister of Education Bolesław Jaszczuk (PZPR) – Minister of Energy Kazimierz Mijal (PZPR) – minister-head of the Office of the Council of Ministers