Professor Wiesław Skrzydło was born on 11th April 1929 in Rokitno (Volhynia). In 1935, his family settled in the Lublin region, where they survived the war. In 1949, after graduating from the Lyceum. Stanisław Staszic in Lublin, Wiesław Skrzydło started law studies at the newly created Faculty of Law at UMCS. After completing his first-cycle studies, he was sent to master's studies in Warsaw, wherein in 1953, he obtained a master's degree. After graduation, he was assigned to work at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin.
In 1955, he began his doctoral studies, which ended with the defence of the doctoral dissertation entitled "The role and social function of parties in the People's Republic of Poland" in May 1959, Wiesław Skrzydło received his PhD diploma no. His further scientific career was equally dynamic. In 1964 he became a habilitated doctor, in 1970 - an associate professor, and in 1975 he was awarded the title of professor.
The professor's research interests included Polish constitutional law, in particular: the functioning of political parties, individual rights and freedoms, electoral law issues, the position of parliament and government, as well as the system of Western countries, especially France and Belgium. He is the author of over 200 publications, including many monographs and articles that have become a permanent part of the history of research on constitutionalism and have been published in many languages. Prof. Wiesław Skrzydło has become an undisputed authority in constitutional law, and his knowledge and scientific achievements have gained wide recognition.
The analysis of the political system in France occupied a special place in his research. He began to learn French in secret classes, and he continued this education in high school. In 1960, he completed a research internship at the Center National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris. In 1963, he presented his habilitation thesis entitled "The essence of the political and systemic transformations of post-war France. Fourth and fifth Republic ”(it was the first such comprehensive analysis of the French Basic Law solutions in Polish science). In 1985–1991 he was the director of the Polish Academy of Sciences director in Paris.
The professor's views on legal and political issues were highly appreciated and often quoted and used both in the science of law and in the practice of state organs' functioning. His commentary to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland was quoted in nearly 300 scientific papers, the Polish Constitutional Law edited by the Professor had a circulation of over 25,000 copies, and the political system of the Republic of Poland, in the light of the Constitution of 1997, was renewed seven times. The research team's work under the Professor's scientific supervision helped develop solutions for the currently binding constitution in the field of the system of state organs.
Professor Wiesław Skrzydło has promoted many masters, bachelor's degrees, and 20 doctors, almost all of whom have already obtained the title of professor or the degree of habilitated doctor. The next students are in the process of promotion. As the Chair of Constitutional Law's head, he always advised his colleagues to support and a great scientific and moral authority. He was extremely kind to the young academic staff, supporting their development and undertaking initiatives. His openness and support contributed, inter alia, to to the creation of "Przegląd Prawa Konstytucji" - a scientific journal in the field of constitutional law and systemic issues, which in 2013 was the only Polish scientific journal qualified (after a two-year verification process) to the international journal network Constitutional Law Journals Network.
An essential aspect of the professional work of prof. Wiesław Skrzydło was his organizational activity for the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. In 1964–1965, he was the vice-dean of the Faculty of Law, 1965–1972, he was the vice-rector of UMCS, and in the years 1972–1981, he was the rector. It is worth noting that when he took up the position of vice-rector, he was 36 years old and that of the rector - 43, and at that time, he was the youngest rector in Poland.
The rector's term of office of prof. Wiesław Skrzydło is a period of dynamic development of UMCS. At that time, the number of students and research workers increased and the material base of the University. The Academic Sports Centre building, another Dormitory "H", the building of Organic Chemistry at ul. Gliniana, Hotel of the Part-time Student, the building complex of the Rector's Office and the Faculty of Economics, and then building the Faculty of Law and Administration. A Polish Cultural and Educational Center was also established (1974). The Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology was established (1973), the Interdepartmental Institute of Political Sciences and the Intercollegiate Institute of Philosophy (1973).
It is worth mentioning that the activities of prof. Wiesław Skrzydło also contributed to the establishment and development of academic traditions in Rzeszów. Already in 1959, shortly after defending his doctoral dissertation, he was one of the five lecturers at UMCS who established a consultation point for legal and administrative studies there. In 1969, as the Vice-Rector of UMCS, he established the UMCS Branch in Rzeszów (including law), which in 2001 was transformed into the independent University of Rzeszów. In later years, he was involved in the development of the WSPiA University of Rzeszów. He also initiated administrative and legal studies at the Radom University of Technology and the University of Rzeszów based in Przemyśl.
Prof. Wiesław Skrzydło, in recognition of his achievements in the scientific and organizational field, received many decorations and distinctions. The most important are: the Commander of the National Order of Merit of the French Republic awarded by the President of the Fifth Republic (1975); honorary doctorate of the University of Lviv (1979); Medal of the National Education Commission (1973); Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1984) and the badge of the Meritorious Teacher of the People's Republic of Poland and the titles of honorary citizen of Rzeszów and Jarosław.
