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Warszawski Ruch Homoseksualny (WRH) – independent group of gays and lesbians whom the goverment of Polish People's Republic refused registration as NGO, existing in Warsaw between January 1987 and summer of 1988.

Its funders were: Waldemar Zboralski, a male nurse from Railways Hospital (pol. Szpital Kolejowy); Sławomir Starosta, a student of the Warsaw University and Krzysztof Garwatowski, a student at the Warsaw University of Technology. They were supported by a group of students and workers of a few universities in Warsaw and young journalists from the capital.

During a meeting on 24 January 1987, in a private flat on Gabriel Narutowicz Square in Warsaw, there was made a decision to create an official organization of gays and lesbians, and 20 Marc 1988 w Milanówek in the Warsaw region, there was an establishment meeting of WHR, which included deciding on its name, legal basic and choosing its leadership (which was necessary in order to register the organization). As the leader of the group was chosen Waldemar Zboralski, and as the logo of the group was chosen a modified coat of arms of Warsaw - a male merman with a shield with written "WRH". Warsaw Homosexual Movement was 2 times mentioned in reports of Radio Free Europe about independent organizations working in Polish People's Republic, made by its political analyst specializing in Central Europe, Jiří Pehe in years 1988 and 1989.

Support
Untill the moment of applying the documents for registration, WRH made a broad informational campaign in the whole of Poland, including the well-known journalists of tha times, such as „Polityka”, „Przegląd Tygodniowy”, „Wprost”, „Na Przełaj”. „Radar”, „Express Wieczorny”. „Pana”, „Sztandar Młodych”. „Kurier Polski”. In years 1987-1988 it was possible to present aims and WRH program in a few radio auditions and a cycle of TV appearances ("Rozmowy Intymne" (pol. "Intimate Talks") with Halszka Wasilewska).

The activities of WRH got it interest of the Ministry of Health, which supported WRH. It happened because of declarations of the member of WRH, that they will be an active part of health profilactics of AIDS.

The movement also got a support of a psychologist, prof. Mikałaj Kozakiewicz, at the time a chief of Towarzystwo Rozwoju Rodziny (pol. Society of Family Development) and a bunch of his friends-intellectualists, whom tried to convince at the time communist ruling class of Polish People's Republic that the organization is beneficial. The support took the form of a list to conteporary Minister of Foreign Affairs gen. Czesław Kiszczak. The letter was dated at 5th March 1988. It was signed by Tadeusz Kielanowski, Bolesław Popielski, Kazimierz Imieliński, Zbigniew Sternadel, prof. Bogdan Suchodolski, Stanisław Ehrlich, prof. Jan Szczepański, Artur Sandauer, Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Szymon Kobyliński, Daniel Passent.

The group got from the goverment of Warsaw discrict Mokatów premises by the Piaseczyńska Street for an office, in which there were regular meetings and which was an official headquarters of WRH.

Cooperation with other LGBT organizations
WHM was supported from the very beginnings by international gay and lesbian movement and a part of ILGA. The direct support was provided by Austria's ILGA member, HOSI-Wien, of whom Andrzej Selerowicz began contacts already in 1985. HOSI-Wien paid WHM's fees for ILGA and the group became a member in April 1988. IN its activities, Warsaw Homosexual Movement closely cooperated with other groups of gays and lesbians in Poland - with Group ETAP from Wrocław and Filo (newspaper)?Filo from Gdańsk.

IN may 1987 members of WRH took part in international conferences of ILGA organized in Koln and London. Warsaw Homosexual Movement became an official part of ILGA in 1087,, before the failed legalization of the organization in Poland. On 16 April 1988 there was organized an international conference of ILGA with participants from West Germany, East Germany, Hungary, Denmark, USA, Kanada, Austria. It was the most important event since the movement began.

Attempt at registration
After gathering 15 people, determined to provide their personal data in the registration form of an organization (some of them were the victims of Operation Hyacinth in 1985-1987), on 24 April 1988 in the Capital City of Warsaw the establishing forms were put down, including the organization's statute.{r|rosaflieder|homowarszawa}} Because of political decision of the at-the-time minister of internal affairs, general Czesław Kiszczak, the registration of Warsaw Homosexual Movement was denied. The decision was supported by fears about the organization's breaking "rules of public morality", and by fears of reaction of the Catholic Church.

End of operations
Some people involved in creation of WRH together with members of informal groups of gays and lesbians working in other cities of Poland, took in 1989 another attempt of registering a common organization. The attempt was successful and on 23 February 1990 Lambda Groups Association was established as a nation-wide organization of gays and lesbians.

Publications about WRH

 * 2009 HomoWarszawa, Przewodnik kulturalno-historyczny, joint publication, Wydawnictwo Abiekt.pl, Warszawa, p. 156-159, ISBN 978-83-926968-1-0
 * 2012 Gejerel. Mniejszości seksualne w PRL-u, Krzysztof Tomasik, Wydawnictwo Krytyki Politycznej, Warszawa, ISBN 978-83-62467-54-9
 * 2012 Kłopoty z seksem w PRL (chapter by Agata Fiedotow: Początki ruchu gejowskiego w Polsce 1981–1990), joint publication edited by Marcin Kula, Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego i Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, Warszawa, ISBN 978-83-235-0964-6

Linki zewnętrzne

 * Ulotka WRH z 1987
 * Jak warszawskiego Ruchu Homoseksualnego nie zarejestrowano 03.08.2018, Queer.pl
 * Kalendarium dziejów ruchu LGBT w Polsce od 1841 do 2005 Anna Górska, Porozumienia Lesbijek (LBT)

Category:LGBT rights in Poland Category:LGBT history in Poland Category:LGBT organisations based in Poland Category:1987 establishments in Poland Category:Organizations established in 1987 Category:Mermen