Poland

The Events After Stalin's Death

27th July 2022 Rishita Chatterji

BACKGROUND Poland had suffered many years because of dictatorships, first was Nazi
Germany and the Soviet Union. The people were dissatisfied about their

INFORMATION living standards and prices, this led to regular protests. Industries in Poland
were relatively well off in the first half of the 1970s, but the economy crashed

Timeline
in 1979 . The Poland economy hit an all time low.

July 1980
August 1980
September 1980
October 1980
January 1981

2
LECH WALSEA AND THE
SOLIDARITY SUCESS
Widespread anger and unrest hit Poland in the early 1980s.
There were protests over food shortages and the price of
consumer products. A trade union called Solidarity was
established.
Solidarity wanted to end Soviet control of the country. Led
by Lech Walesa, it encouraged continued protest against
the government. Solidarity quickly gained 10 million
members.
Under Soviet guidance, this revolt was suppressed by the
army. By early 1982 Solidarity was banned and its leaders
arrested.

Lech Walsea

3
 Martial Law
Introduction of Martial Law was a general strike for “Solidarity”. The trade
union was made illegal and most of its leaders were interned. Those who
avoided arrest started to reconstruct ‘Solidarity’ in the underground. The
amount of social opposition was impressive. During the initial impositions of
martial law, several dozen people were killed. The shipyards in Gdańsk and
Szczecin were pacified, as well as the Lenin Iron Mill in Nowa Huta and Iron
Mill in Katowice. In Katowice, on 16 December, happened the most dreadful
incident, when six miners from the Wujek coal-mine were killed by members
of the military police ZOMO.

5
REASONS
FOR THE
CRUSHING OF Inflation Communists
SOLIDARITY

Secret Tapes Secret Tapes

6
SIGNIFICANCE
OF
SOLIDARITY