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First Lady of Poland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maria Helena Kaczyńska (Polish pronunciation: [ˈmarja kaˈt͡ʂɨj̃ska]; née Mackiewicz [mat͡sˈkʲɛvit͡ʂ]; 21 August 1942[a] – 10 April 2010) was the First Lady of Poland from 2005 to 2010 as the wife of President Lech Kaczyński.[1][2] She and her husband died in a plane crash in the Russian city of Smolensk.
Maria Kaczyńska | |
---|---|
First Lady of Poland | |
In role 23 December 2005 – 10 April 2010 | |
President | Lech Kaczyński |
Preceded by | Jolanta Kwaśniewska |
Succeeded by | Anna Komorowska |
Personal details | |
Born | Maria Helena Mackiewicz 21 August 1942 Machava, Reichskommissariat Ostland (now Narach, Belarus) |
Died | 10 April 2010 67) Smolensk, Russia | (aged
Nationality | Polish |
Political party | Law and Justice |
Spouse | |
Children | Marta Dubieniecka |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University of Gdańsk |
Profession | Economist |
Kaczyńska was born in Machava (near Kabylnik, now Belarus),[3][4] the daughter of Lidia and Czesław Mackiewicz.[5] Her father fought in the Vilnius Armia Krajowa (Home Army), while an uncle fought in the Polish II Corps of Gen. Władysław Anders at the Battle of Monte Cassino; another uncle was murdered by the NKVD (Soviet secret police)[6] at Katyń.[5]
Kaczyńska attended primary and secondary schools in Rabka Zdrój in southern Poland. She studied transport economics and foreign trade in Sopot at what is now the University of Gdańsk.[5] After graduating in 1966, she worked at the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, where she met Lech Kaczyński in 1976. They married in 1978,[5] and had a daughter.[5] In addition to her native Polish, Maria Kaczyńska spoke four languages such as English, French and some Spanish and Russian.[5]
On 10 April 2010, 10:41 MSD (06:41 UTC), Maria Kaczyńska, and her husband, Polish President Lech Kaczyński, both died when the Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154M they were aboard crashed while attempting to land at Smolensk-North Airport in the Russian city of Smolensk. All 89 passengers on board and the seven crew members were killed.[7] The Kaczyńskis were traveling with several senior government figures on a trip to mark the 70-year anniversary of the World War II Katyn Massacre, where thousands of Polish military officers were executed by the NKVD.[8]
She was buried along with her husband on 18 April 2010 in the Wawel Cathedral.[9] Her diary was found by her daughter after her death, sparking an interest among many publishers who desired to buy it and release it. However, Marta Kaczyńska-Dubieniecka said the diary was too precious for her to sell and also explained that she was not likely to reveal its content.[10]
a According to the list of passports of the Tu-154 flight.[12][13] Some media gives her date of birth as 21 August 1943.[2][14]
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