Bolesław Bierut was born on 18 April 1892 in Rury, Congress Poland, to Wojciech and Marianna Salomea Bierut. He joined the Polish Socialist Party in 1912 and later became a member of the Communist Party of Poland. Bierut was imprisoned in 1935 for illegal labor activities and was released in 1938. During World War II, he became an activist in the Polish Workers' Party and served as chairman of the State National Council, which was established by the PPR.After the war, Bierut participated in the Potsdam Conference, advocating for Poland's western border at the Oder–Neisse line. Following the 1947 Polish legislative election, which was marred by electoral fraud, he became the first post-war President of Poland. In 1952, the new constitution abolished the presidency, and Bierut became the Prime Minister, while also serving as General Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party from 1948 until his death in 1956.Bierut implemented Stalinist policies in Poland, overseeing a regime characterized by repression and the systematic persecution of opposition members. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Public Security became notorious for its brutal tactics, including the execution of thousands of individuals. He resided in the Belweder Palace and was instrumental in the reconstruction of Warsaw after the war.Bierut died of a heart attack on 12 March 1956 in Moscow after attending the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. His body was returned to Poland and buried with honors at the Powązki Military Cemetery. His leadership was marked by significant political and social changes in Poland, and he remains a controversial figure in Polish history.