Jan Żaryn

Jan Krzysztof Żaryn (born 13 March 1958) is a Polish historian, professor and politician, who was a Senator in the Senate of Poland from 2015 to 2019.

Born in Warsaw into a family of inteligencja, Żaryn studied history at the University of Warsaw in 1979–1984, as well as in an underground education society. As a student, he engaged with anti-Communist movements. After finishing his studies, he taught history in Warsaw high schools and then joined Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in 1997. Żaryn received a Ph.D. in humanities degree in history in 1996, and in 2004 earned the habilitated doctor degree. In 2013 he was awarded the title of Professor of Humanities.

Żaryn has held senior positions in the Polish Institute of National Remembrance and the Institute for Legacy of Polish National Thought. Żaryn specialises in the recent history of Poland and, in particular, the history of the Catholic Church in the 20th century, the history of the National and Christian Democratic camps, Polish-Jewish relations in the 20th century, and the history of post-war Polish emigration. Some of his views and commentaries have sparked controversy.