Jaroszewicz, Piotr

Jaroszewicz, Piotr (pyô`tər yärôshĕ`vĭch), 1909–92, Polish political leader. A schoolmaster, he lived during World War II in the Soviet Union, where he joined the Polish army in 1943. In the postwar years he held several important positions in Poland and from 1952 to 1970 was vice premier. He became premier in 1970 following Józef Cyrankiewicz's resignation in the wake of serious rioting over inflation. He also became a full member of the politburo. In 1980 he was forced to resign because of Poland's continuing economic crisis. In 1992 he and his wife were murdered.