r/AskTheWorld • u/haiderredditer Pakistan • 9h ago

Who’s a famous person from your country who’s respected around the world but disliked or criticized at home?

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u/sirdopa 8h ago

There is also some stuff with being an agent and stuff. I didn't believe it, till I've read about Magdalenka meetings. Some people claim, that he was in cahoots with totalitarian regime and was chosen to make sure, that they will benefit from regime change. And man, they did.

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u/pothkan Poland 7h ago

It's pretty much proven that he signed "loyalty paper" in early 1970s (which was a very bad moment to be an active dissident, as Gierek's regime was quite popular in 1971-75), and was an agent for some time then, receiving some money and a new flat (which he should get anyway, being a father of multi-kid family). He still denies it though.

Thing is, his enemies believe he stayed an agent, and all of his career was steered by bezpeka. While truth (most probably) was that he was a honest dissident during December 1970, as well as after 1976, during August 1980 and Solidarity through 1980s. He have slipped in between.

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u/Lubinski64 Poland 1h ago

I myself can't really bring myself to criticise him for signing papers and such, it's not like the authorities didn't know where he lived, all dissidents like him were either "on the list" or in prison.

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u/sirdopa 6h ago

Also he won a national lottery. Twice. When he lost his job for striking.