Roman Romkowski

Roman Romkowski
Roman Romkowski
Personal details
Born
Menasche Grünspan

(1907-02-16)February 16, 1907
Kraków, Austria-Hungary
DiedJuly 1, 1968(1968-07-01) (aged 61)
Warsaw, Poland
CitizenshipPolish
OccupationVice-minister, security agent
NicknameNasiek (Natan) Grinszpan-Kikiel
Military service
AllegianceState Security Services (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa)
Rank Brigadier general of public security

Roman Romkowski born Menasche Grünspan also known as Nasiek (Natan) Grinszpan-Kikiel, (February 16, 1907 – July 12, 1968) was a Polish communist official trained by Comintern in Moscow. After the Soviet takeover of Poland Romkowski settled in Warsaw and became second in command (the deputy minister) in the Ministry of Public Security (MBP or colloquially UB) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Along with several other high functionaries including Stanisław Radkiewicz, Anatol Fejgin, Józef Różański, Julia Brystiger and the chief supervisor of Polish State Security Services, Minister Jakub Berman from the Politburo, Romkowski came to symbolize communist terror in postwar Poland. He was responsible for the work of departments: Counter-espionage (1st), Espionage (7th), Security in the PPRPZPR (10th Dept. run by Fejgin), and others.

De-Stalinization brought about Romkowski's downfall. He was arrested in 1956 and sentenced to prison for gross violations of human rights and abuse of power.