Wojciech Olszański
Olszański in 2016
Born (1960-07-07) 7 July 1960 (age 64)
Other namesAleksander Jabłonowski
Alma materAST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków
Occupation(s)Actor and filmmaker
Years active1983–present
Known forExtreme political views
Aleksander Jabłonowski and fellow nationalist Marcin Osadowski

Wojciech Olszański (born 7 July 1960), also known as Jaszczur, is a Polish nationalist activist, film and theatre actor, filmmaker, livestreamer, and the founder of the far-right Rodacy Kamraci [pl] party. He is the stepfather of actress Michalina Olszańska.

Early life and acting career

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Wojciech Józef Olszański was born on 17 July 1960 in Kłodzko.[1] In 1983, he graduated the AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków,[2] starting his career as a theatre actor.

He earned an award for his performance in a Jerzy Trela rendition of Vladimir Mayakovsky's The Bedbug in 1983. From 1983 to 1987, he starred in plays at the National Theatre.[3] He later settled into a home life, taking care of his stepdaughter, Michalina Olszańska.[4] After 2000, he starred in supporting roles in various films, including Quo Vadis (2001) and Battle of Warsaw 1920 (2011),[2] alongside participating in historical reenactments.[5]

Activism

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Olszański first gained popularity in 2016, when he set up a YouTube channel using the pseudonym Aleksander Jabłonowski. He gained a large following on his channel, Niezależna Polska TV, which was repeatedly restricted by YouTube because of its violent and anti-Semitic content.[6][7]

Wojciech Olszański also cofounded the "National Polish Front" (Polish: Narodowy Front Polski), which advocated for Polish withdrawal from the European Union and deportation of foreign immigrants, though he was expelled for disobedience in 2017.[2][8] Later, on 30 August 2023, he cofounded Rodacy Kamraci [pl] (English: Compatriot Comrades) and contended in the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, but failed to sign any candidates.[9]

Political views

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Olszański personally considers himself a fascist, nationalist, and Stalinist.[10] He supports an alliance with Vladimir Putin-ruled Russia and supports the rule of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.[6] He has spread COVID-19 misinformation, stating that the virus is controlled by the United States Army.[2] He believes the United States is Poland's greatest enemy[11] and often attacks the LGBT community.[12] He also advocates for the full legalization of abortion.[13]

In addition to these views, Olszański believes in national communism, reflecting positively on the Polish People's Republic[14] and praising Ivan Serov[15][16] and Bolesław Piasecki.[13]

Controversies

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Olszański has been the subject of several lawsuits and controversies. He has been sued for, among other things, slapping another man during Warsaw Uprising commemorations in 2017,[17] attacking a Belarusian student with pepper spray in 2021 for participating in pro-democratic movements,[6] burning down a copy of the Statute of Kalisz during an Independence Day parade that same year,[18] and calling for the murder of deputies to the Sejm during an anti-vaccine protest in 2022.[19] On 1 November 2022, he was arrested and sentenced to 6 months of imprisonment.[20] He finished serving the sentence on 30 April 2023 and was promptly freed.[21] However, on 30 August 2022, he had also been sentenced to 2 years in prison and community service by the Warsaw-Mokotów Regional Court, a sentence he is currently serving as of October 2024.[22]

There has been a large amount of debate over the legitimacy of his beliefs, as he was a film and theatre actor in the past.[2][12][23][24] Rafał Pankowski called him a "popular, aggressive supporter of a racist form of pan-Slavism which translates over to his support for Lukashenko's rule in Belarus".[11] He has also been criticized by Marian Kowalski, another nationalist politician.[8]

Personal life

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Olszański was married to Aleksandra Fatyga [pl] up to her death in 2020.[25] Through her, he is the stepfather of Michalina Olszańska.[2]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Klątwa skarbu Inków Uncredited
2001 Quo Vadis Faon
2003 Łowcy skór [pl] Piotr Biernacki
2011 Battle of Warsaw 1920 Mounted Red Army soldier

References

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  1. ^ Sygn. akt X K 397/22 (Sąd Rejonowy dla Warszawy-Śródmieścia w Warszawie, X Wydział Karny 25 November 2022).
  2. ^ a b c d e f Rutkiewicz, Paweł (27 June 2021). "Narodowcy mają nowego guru? Na rowerze i koniu wiódł ich za rosyjską flagą". Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Wojciech Olszański". Encyklopedia Teatru Polskiego. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  4. ^ ""Miśka robi, co chce." Wywiad z Michaliną Olszańską" (Interview). Elle. 12 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Agnieszka Fatyga zmarła nagle. Mało kto wiedział, że jej córka grała w "Barwach szczęścia"". 21 July 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Student z Białorusi zaatakowany gazem pod ratuszem przez zwolenników Łukaszenki". 1 June 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Kim są radykalni antyszczepionkowcy". 10 August 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Skandaliczny incydent na Powązkach. Doszło nawet do rękoczynów". 2 August 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  9. ^ Ferfecki, Wiktor (14 July 2023). "„Jaszczur" ma już partię. Rodacy Kamraci zarejestrowani przez sąd". Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  10. ^ Wojciech Olszański (23 March 2021). Aleksander Jabłonowski (Olszański) popiera faszyzm i zamordyzm (video) (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2024. My jesteśmy kurwa za faszyzmem! Za porządnym nacjonalizmem! Za mordem, za Pinochetem generała, ja osobiście jestem stalinowcem!
  11. ^ a b Żytnicki, Piotr (29 June 2021). ""KGB wystawiło cię narodowcom". Ujawniamy, jak ABW nachodzi i straszy białoruskich aktywistów". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b Ferfecki, Wiktor (1 July 2021). "Patostreaming z dawnego domu Korwin-Mikkego". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  13. ^ a b Woroncow, Jakub (14 December 2020). "Prawicowy patostreamer fantazjuje o gwałceniu posłanki. Nie jest wybrykiem, jest problemem". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  14. ^ Willma, Adam (22 November 2021). "Wojciech Olszański byłby zabawną kabaretową postacią na polskiej scenie, ale wierzy w to, co mówi". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Wojciech O. więźniem politycznym? Patlewicz rozwiewa wątpliwości i mówi o kompromitacji ruchu Brauna". 16 February 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  16. ^ Bodakowski, Jan (31 October 2021). "Rempalski i Bieńko: Jabłonowski to aktor, który zagra wszystko to, za co mu się zapłaci [TYLKO U NAS]". Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  17. ^ Bukowski, Jerzy (21 November 2019). "Miłośnik Rosji uznał gen. Kuklińskiego za bohatera". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  18. ^ Waleński, Tomasz (12 November 2022). "Skandaliczny marsz w Kaliszu. Jest zawiadomienie do prokuratury". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Bulwersujące sceny w centrum Bydgoszczy. Patostreamer groził posłom śmiercią". 31 January 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Patostreamer Wojciech Olszański zatrzymany, ma odbyć karę więzienia". 3 November 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  21. ^ Trela, Karolina (22 May 2023). "Wojciech Olszański wyszedł na wolność. Przed "Jaszczurem" kolejna kara więzienia". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  22. ^ Nitkiewicz, Adriana (2 December 2022). "Dwa lata ograniczenia wolności dla Wojciecha Olszańskiego. Patostreamer odbywa już karę więzienia". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  23. ^ Nowacki, Dawid (28 June 2021). "Prawicowy patostreamer wyrzucony z mieszkania w środku programu. Kim jest Aleksander Jabłonowski?". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Prawicowi patostreamerzy nagrywają w dawnym domu Korwin-Mikkego. „Nikt normalny tego nie słucha"". 1 July 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  25. ^ Pachelska, Katarzyna (23 October 2020). "Zmarła Agnieszka Fatyga, charyzmatyczna aktorka, wokalistka, Ślązaczka. Miała 62 lata. Urodziła się w Bytomiu, mieszkała w Świętochłowicach". Retrieved 23 October 2024.