A resident of Staszów, Józef Małobęcki, by the decision of President Andrzej Duda of March 23, 2017, was awarded the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity, and by the decision of August 14, 2017, with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
These decorations recognize his independence, trade union and social activities. Józef Małobęcki, a native of Staszów, born on August 4, 1952 in Staszów. He worked in the Sulfur Mine „Siarkopol” in Grzybow, and from September 1980 he was the initiator and co-founder of the Independent Self-governing Trade Union „Solidarity” in the Sulfur Mine „Siarkopol” in Grzybow. From November 1980, he was the chairman of the Local Coordination Committee of „Solidarity” of the Staszów Region and organized the „Rural Solidarity” in the villages of Staszów. From January 1981, he was the vice-chairman of „Solidarity” at the „Siarkopol” Sulfur Mine in Grzybow In April 1981, a delegate to the IWZD of the Sandomierz Region, a delegate to the 1st National Congress of Delegates of NSZZ „Solidarity”.
At the first convention of „Solidarity” he was elected a member of the National Committee of NSZZ „Solidarity” of the Sandomierz region. During the „Solidarity” period, he was active in the local community, incl. negotiating with the then authorities of the city of Staszów the relocation of the Kościuszko monument to the Staszów Rynek, where the National Day celebrations are held. Together with the „Solidarity” of the Staszów Land, he sought to re-join the Staszów Land to the Kielce Province and negotiate the transfer of the communist party building in Staszów to the Primary School No. 1.
After the declaration of martial law on December 13, 1981, he was arrested in Ostróda on the way from a meeting of the National Committee, interned in Ilawa, from January 1982. Interned in Załęż, until April 29, 1982. Released on the condition of emigration. Józef Małobęcki is the author of memoirs entitled „From a Staszów activist to a member of the National Committee of NSZZ Solidarność” concerning that period.
During his emigration to the United States, he became involved in the Polish-American community. 1984 in Lowell, Massachusetts and the surrounding area, organized a fundraiser for the 1984 internment community in Lowell, Massachusetts and the surrounding area and handed it over to the repressed in Poland. Initiator of sending letters to Massachusetts senators supporting the US Senate’s approval of Poland’s accession to NATO. Author of letters to the Archbishop of Boston, Sean Patrick O’Malley, in defense of the continued existence of the Polish parish in Lowell, Massachusetts. Active participant and main organizer of Polish patriotic celebrations in Lowell. During his stay in the United States in 2003, he undertook activities for the Staszów community: he founded a computer lab for Public Primary School No. 2 in Staszów and sponsored hot meals for poor children.
In 2005, on his initiative and in cooperation with the Staszowski „Solidarity Teachers”, a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of „Solidarity” was placed outside the church of St. Spirit in Staszów. In the same 2005, by the decision of the City and Commune Council, Staszów was recognized as „Meritorious for the City”. After returning to Poland permanently from the United States, in 2010, together with the patriotic citizens of the city, he created the „Civic Initiative”, which led to the change of street names associated with communism and their replacement with the names of citizens of merit for the city. In the Third Republic of Poland, he took credit for restoring the memory of Stalwart Soldiers and commemorating the heroes of repression during the communist regime in 1944/1989. He initiated and co-founded, with the participation of a former internee, Andrzej Ptak, and NSZZ “Solidarność” Grupa Azoty “Siarkopol” SA. in Grzybów, a commemorative plaque on the Remembrance Day of Stalwart Soldiers on March 1, 2017 in the „Holy Spirit” Church in Staszów.
Initiator of the liquidation of the monument of gratitude of the Red Army in the Legion Park and in its place erection of a Polish legionary monument to commemorate the stationing of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Legionary Infantry Regiment in Staszów before World War II. Józef Małobęcki participates in local patriotic celebrations, co-creating the organization. In 2013, he received a hussar statuette for his work for the Patriotic Society. Jan Pietrzak. In 2014, he sponsored the award in the historical competition of the Patriotic Society Jan Pietrzak.