Walter Plywaski

Walter Plywaski (August 10, 1929 – January 28, 2021) was a Polish-born Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the United States after World War II.

He established a legal precedent allowing immigrants to the country to make a secular affirmation as an alternative to the Oath of Allegiance and received the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his role as a Holocaust educator.

He served in the American air forces for four years, then studied at Oregon State University, earning a degree in electrical engineering.

When the citizenship judge turned down his request, support from the American Civil Liberties Union allowed him to appeal the decision.

[2] The landmark ruling of Plywaski's religious freedom case established that persons who apply for citizenship in the United States must have a non-religious alternative to the oath, a policy that is still in place as of 2021.