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The dissident movement in the Polish People's Republic was a political movement in the Polish People's Republic (predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland) whose aim was to change the political system from the unitary Marxist–Leninist government imposed by the Soviet Union to a democratic form of government.[citation needed]

Historical background

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Main article: History of Poland (1945–1989)
 
The PKWN Manifesto, officially issued on 22 July 1944.

One of the deciding points in post World War II history was the Yalta Conference where decisions regarding postwar Europe were taken and the continent became divided with the Iron Curtain[1]. As a result, Poland remained under the Soviet Union's dominance[2]. Formally was a separate country, in reality it couldn't make independent decisions without Moscow's approval. The power was held by Polish United Worker's Party (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, PZPR)[3]. The party stayed in power not because of the social support but because of suppressing society and military support from Moscow. The ties with the Soviet Union were declared through the PKWN Manifesto where the legitimacy of the coming State National Council, a Soviet-backed administration was announced.

 
A citizen reads the PKWN Manifesto (of the Polish Committee of National Liberation), July 22, 1944 - a symbolic photo of the communist propaganda, copied in numerous books.

During that time many citizens were working in government-owned companies, managed by people approved by the authorities, often as a result of political decisions[4]. Their influence of a communistic rule was far beyond that. The economy was centrally planned, with all the prices and amount of the goods on the market regulated by the government officials[4]. That time standing in the queues to purchase basic goods were part of daily life for all the residents. The government also interfered in people's personal life. There was no place for fundamental rights. People could gather to assembly or create their party, the PZPR was the only legal one[4]. Censorship was imposed, atheism was strongly promoted, surveillance and invigilation were widely spread by eavesdropping on telephone conversations, violating the confidentiality of the correspondence, and spying. The Ministry of Public Security (Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) with Security Services (Służba Bezpieczństwa, SB) is a representation of such actions that aimed to espy and eradicate anti-communist structures. The example of the repressions towards anti-communist activists can be a history of Polish general Leopold Okulicki and the Trial of the Sixteen[5]. It's hard to estimate those hurt or killed by the actions directed by the communistic government. The changes in the Constitution of Poland were introduced and the Constitution of the Polish People's Republic passed in 1952. The changes included the new name of the country, the Polish People's Republic (Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL), the Polish Council of State replaced the office of the President of Poland, the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) became constitutionally a source of highest power, and other[6]. Changes started to appear in the fifties due to the growing public resistance and some following circumstances. In 1953 Joseph Stalin died, his death initiated a 'thaw’ period in Soviet Union and other dependent, communistic countries. The cult of personality started to be condemned and terror lessened. Another factor influencing the situation in Poland was a mysterious death of its president Bolesław Bierut in 1956[7].

Beginnings of the dissident movements

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Imposed political system and constant suppression influenced people's lives. Million people were arrested, thousands became fatal victims of the terror, Security Service (SB) investigated millions of people. Citizens, including workers started to rise their voices regarding constantly violated human rights and overall discontent. People called for reforms[4]. In June 1956 the worker's strike in Poznań took place and gathered over 100 000 people[8]. The strike met a brutal response from the government, resulting in up to hundred deaths[9]. It was a beginning of the changes that were about to happen. At the beginning, even though the Władysław Gomułka became a new communistic leader in the Polish People's Republic, the country didn't manage to gain the political and economic independence from SSSR. After taking power by Wałdysław Gomułka, the community hoped for the lessening restrictions. However, the restrictions didn't stop, including the censorship of the culture what resulted in students' protest in 1968[10]. Further protests escalated, in December 1970 workers in northern Poland are protesting because of the increase in meat prices[11]. The protests of 1970 were bloodily suppressed by the militia and the army resulting in deaths of 45 people, approximately 1165 casualties and around 146 people being arrested[12]. Due to further incidents, people didn't want a reformation of the system, they started calling for changing the system. Because of the social disapprove, the authorities in Poland changed, though the communistic system still remained. Seventies were the years when quality of the life has improved and on the market you could find more and more foreign goods. Due to credits development was possible. However, the decade ended with the recession, development backed up by the loans was only effective for a short period of time[13]. The loans that the government then took, were paid back in 2012. The decade ensured how the communistic system is inefficient and the following recession caused a series of strikes (described in the currents of dissidence paragraph).

Influence of the religion on the dissident movements

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Important role in fighting communism had a common religion of the Polish society. Over 90% of the society defined themselves as Catholics. Religion is thought to be something that brought people together giving hope and a feeling of participation[13]. After World War II authorities continuously run Polish anti-religious campaign aimed at (inter alia) the Catholic Church in Poland. In 1956 the limitations were eased and the Church leaders became more active in the society with cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in the lead. 1966 was an important year for Polish citizens, country celebrated the Millennium of the Polish State and at the same 1000 years of the Christianization of Poland.The anniversary was used by both the church and the ruling party for the propaganda purposes. Communistic government wanted to put focus on the celebration without the religious context. On the other hand the Catholic Church wanted to underline the relationship between Catholicism and the Polish State and their common origins since establishment of the Polish State started from the baptism. Not only Catholic Church in Poland was confronted. The communistic government aimed their actions towards other religions including Jewish Community in Poland, resulting in migration of thousands of them.

Groups of dissidence

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Currents of dissidence

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Strikes

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In June 1976 the plan for raising goods' prices was revealed. The decision was motivated by the worsening economic situation in the Polish People's Republic. The raise would include basic commodities and influence significantly budget of the Polish households[14]. It resulted in a social dissatisfaction and a series of large-scale social demonstrations, named June 1976 protests. As a part of the preparation, the government trained Motorized Reserves of the Citizens' Militia (Zmotoryzowane Odwody Milicji Obywatelskiej, ZOMO) - elite units of Citizens' Militia (MO) to quell demonstrations. The information about the increase resulted in protests starting the next day on 25 June 1976. The government expected the riots to be focused in bigger cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Szczecin, Gdansk, or Upper Silesia. However, the protests centers were Radom, Warsaw's suburb of Ursus, and Płock[15]. After a few days of riots, the government decided to take back the decision and the news regarding riots were suppressed[16]. However, the participants faced big repressions with legal charges, years in prison, or being beaten including those in need of hospitalization[15]. Because of the continuing economic crisis, the government introduced ration stamps (Kartki). From 1976 "kartki" were necessary for everyone to buy even basic products[17].

formation of the Solidarity movement

Formation of a dissidence

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In September 1976 group of intellectuals founded the Workers' Defence Committee (Komitet Obrony Robotników, KOR). Its main goal was to provide financial, legal, and medical support to those repressed by the government after demonstrations or another form of dissidence. The group was also gathering signatures to release people from detention and was raising the funds for the affected families by the disciplinary dismissals. Hunger-strikes became their common form of pressuring the authorities.

Murder of Stanisław Pyjas

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Stanisław Pyjas, a student cooperating with KOR was murdered in May 197. His death agitated the society and caused a series of protests resulting in furthers arrests. In many cities students' KOR committees started appearing. In the end, the government ceased persecution and declared an amnesty for the participants the riots.

KOR reorganization and ROBCiO creation

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In 1977 the Workers' Defence Committee was reorganized into the Committee for Social Self-defence (Komitet Samoobrony Społecznej KOR). Further development of the committee was motivated by the lack of support for repressed people from the national organizations designated for that. The goal of the committee was to put an initiative for different forms of defense. Their aim was also to provide information about the persecutions as they have perceived revealing the actions of the authorities to the public the only effective way of defense where Zofia Romaszewska and her husband Zbigniew Romaszewski held significant actions. They coordinated and registered the cases of humans rights violations in Poland and spread the information to the world. On 25 March 1977 the Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights (Ruch Obrony Praw Człowieka i Obywatela, ROPCiO) was established. Both of those organizations supported creating independent workers' unions. Members of the ROBCiO co-organized the underground press called another circulation (Polish: drugi obieg) and published several magazines, books, leaflets. Created by students Independent Publishing House NOWA (Polish: Niezależna Oficyna Wydawnicza NOWA) became the largest publisher in Communist Poland.

1979 Leszek Moczulski założył konfederację Polski Niepodległej w skrócie KPN, byłą to pierwsza antykomunistyczna partia polityczna w bolku wschodnim. DO tradycji endecji z xrugiej strony odwoływał się Ruch Młodej Polski.

Środowiska opozycyjne były intensywnie śledzone przez ówczesną służbę bezpieczeństwa, która starała się pozyskać informatorów nazywanych tajnymi współpracowanikami TW, część osób szantażowano lub zastraszano represjami wobec rodziny lub zwolnieniem z pracy, innym oferowano w zamian za współrpacę pieniądze lub inne korszyści

Zima stulecia 1978/1979

Obfite opady śniegu sparaliżowały kraj, a temperatury spadły do -30 stopniu, niemal na iesiąc stanęło produkcja fabryczna, zotsała obnarzona słabośc administracji gospodarki PRL. <żart o bundestwerze>

<zdjęcia z zimy stulecia>

Działąnia władz nie przynosiły poprawy zaopatrzenia w sklepach ani wizerunku władzy w oczach społeczństwa

16 X 1978 - wybór kardynała Karola Wojtyły na papieża Jaan Pawła II i wyzta papieża w Polsce

Wybór Polaka na papieża wywołał entuzjazm wśród Polaków i niepokój wśród komunistów. Gierek zignorował sprzeciwł władz ZSRR i wyraził sgodę na pielgrzymkę papieża do Polski w czewrcu 1979 roku. Udział wzieło około 6 milionów osób. Wspólne modlitwy pozwoliły Polakom zobaczyć jak dużą siłę wspólnie stanowią.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fehér, Ferenc (1987-12-01). "Eastern Europe's Long Revolution against Yalta". East European Politics and Societies. 2 (1): 1–34. doi:10.1177/0888325488002001001. ISSN 0888-3254.
  2. ^ Osmańczyk, Edmund (2003). Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-93922-5.
  3. ^ Polish Academic Information Center, University at Buffalo (15 June 2009). "The Historical Setting: The Polish People's Republic". info-poland.icm.edu.pl. Retrieved 2020-06-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c d Hajdasz E., Kiewel G., Łukaszka E., Mazur P., Tucznio H., Lekcje o współczesne Polsce, Polski Ośrodek Naukowy Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Londynie (3 February 2014) PRL w pigułce, retrieved 2020-06-19
  5. ^ Krzyżanowski, Jerzy R. (1980). Generał: opowieść o Leopoldzie Okulickim (The Story of Leopold Okulicki) (in Polish). Londyn: Odnowa. ISBN 978-0-903705-35-6. OCLC 7653391.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Konstytucja Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej (1952). Dziennik Ustaw Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej (published 22 July 1952). 1952.
  7. ^ "Śmierć Bolesława Bieruta". nowahistoria.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-06-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Grzelczak, Piotr (2014-03-13). "Poznański Czerwiec 1956. Walka o pamięć w latach 1956–1989". Adam Mickiewicz University Repository (in Polish).
  9. ^ Paczkowski, Andrzej (2005). Pół wieku dziejów Polski. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. ISBN 83-01-14487-4.
  10. ^ Majewski, Jerzy (30 January 2018). "Gdy 50 lat temu zdjęto z afisza "Dziady" Dejmka, społeczeństwo zaprotestowało. Pierwsza konfrontacja z władzą komunistyczną w burzliwym 1968 roku". warszawa.wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 2020-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Grudzień 1970". dzieje.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-06-19. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Polskie Radio (2019-12-17). ""Czarny czwartek" - 17 grudnia 1970. Najkrwawszy dzień robotniczego powstania na Wybrzeżu". PolskieRadio24.pl. Retrieved 2020-06-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ a b Moore, Richard. "Poland: Communism's New Look Documentary". NET, National Educational Television and Radio Center. San Francisco.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "42. rocznica radomskiego Czerwca". pb.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  15. ^ a b "Radom, Ursus 1976". www.rp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  16. ^ "Poland's Angry Workers". Time Magazine. 1 January 1980.
  17. ^ Szamańska, Karolina. "Sklepy w czasach PRL" (PDF). Wiedza i edukacja. Retrieved 20 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Bibliography

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  1. Feher, F. (1987). Eastern Europe’s Long Revolution against Yalta. East European Politics & Societies, 2(1), 1–34. doi:10.1177/0888325488002001001
  2. Osmańczyk, Edmund (2003), Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 978-0-415-93922-5
  4. Cenckiewicz Sławomir, Służba Bezpieczeństwa w walce z Ruchem Młodej Polski 1979–1988 www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/sluzba-bezpieczenstwa-w-walce-z-ruchem-mlodej-polski-1979–1988,4212.pdf
  5. IPN BEP Wrocław, Kamiński Łukasz Odważni, Młodzi ludzie 1944-1989 www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/odwazni,-mlodzi-ludzie,6124.pdf
  6. IPN Biuletyn. Kuta Cecylia, "Czarna Jedynka" i niezalezna historia KOR-u polska1918-89.pl/pdf/czarna-jedynka-i-niezalezna-historia-kor-u,6753.pdf
  7. IPN Kraków, Zblewski Zdzisław, Aparat BEzpieczeństwa wobec opozycji www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/aparat-bezpieczenstwa-wobec-opozycji,5403.pdf
  8. IPN Poznań, Zwiernik Przemysła, Opór społeczny i pozycja w Epoce Gierka www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/opor-spoleczny-i-opozycja-w-epoce-gierka,2214.pdf
  9. Kamiński Łukasz, Władsza wobec opozycji 1976-1989 www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/wladza-wobec-opozycji-1976–1989,4209.pdf
  10. Madej Krzysztof, Opozycja w PRL 1956–1980, Stan badań www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/opozycja-w-prl-1956–1980.-stan-badan,4216.pdf
  11. Pamięć.pl, Czyżewski Andrzej, Historia na wyciągnięcie ręki www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/historia-na-wyciagniecie-reki,4112.pdf
  12. Pamięć.pl, Olaszek Jan "Robotnik" dla robotników www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/robotnik-dla-robotnikow,6511.pdf
  13. Pamięć.pl, Olaszek Jan, Studenkca opozycja www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/studencka-opozycja,2056.pdf
  14. Pamięć.pl, Siedzisko Michał, Głosowanie w cieniu represji http://www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/glosowanie-w-cieniu-represji,6453.pdf
  15. Pamięć.pl, Słodowska Inka, Pospolite ruszenie www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/pospolite-ruszenie-demokracji,4039.pdf
  16. Pamięć.pl, Czego bali się komuniści www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/czego-sie-bali-komunisci,6497.pdf
  17. Pamięć.pl, Rewolucja wolnego słowa, www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/rewolucja-wolnego-slowa,6452.pdf

http://www.polska1918-89.pl/kategorie/opozycja-w-prl,50.html

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kategoria:Dzia%C5%82acze_opozycji_w_PRL

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