Kania, Stanisław

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Stanisław Kania (stənēē´swäf kä´nyə), 1927–, Polish political leader. He joined the Communist party in 1945, becoming a member of the Central Committee in 1968 and of the Politburo in 1975. Soon after the Solidarity union was formed in 1980 he was named party chairman, but as the crisis precipitated by the union's activities worsened he was replaced (1981) by Gen. Jaruzelski.