Władysław Kowalski (26 August 1894 – 14 December 1958) was a Polish communist politician, writer and journalist who served as the Minister of Art and Culture and the Sejm Marshal during the first postwar parliament Sejm of the Polish People's Republic (1947–1952) and, in his capacity as Sejm Marshal, ex officio, as the acting head of state (Acting President of the State National Council) for one day (4–5 February 1947).

Władysław Kowalski was born in a small village of Paprotnia near Rawa Mazowiecka (then Russian Empire, now east-central Poland) as a son of farm worker.

Because of his family poverty, he graduated just three school grades and later became an autodidact.

[1] During World War I he fought in the Imperial Russian Army and later in the Puławy Legion.

[2] After the War, he was a Minister of Culture (1945–1947) and member and Vice President of the State National Council.