Martial law in Poland

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Martial law in Poland
Part of the Polish crisis of 1980–1981
T-55A Martial law Poland.jpg
Polish T-55 tanks enter the town of Zbąszyń while moving east towards Poznań, 13 December 1981
Date13 December 1981 – 22 July 1983 (1 year, 7 months, 1 week and 2 days)
Location
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland
Result

Polish government victory

  • Crackdown on opposition
  • Protests suppressed
  • Deepened economic crisis
  • Continued resistance until 1989
Belligerents

Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Polish People's Republic


Supported by:

Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union (Intelligence support and military equipment)

Solidarity Movement


Supported by:

Flag of Poland (1927-1980).svg Polish government-in-exile
Flag of the United States.svg  United States (Financial support)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom (Financial support)
Commanders and leaders

Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Wojciech Jaruzelski

Flag of Poland (1927-1980).svg Lech Wałęsa
Strength

Initial strength: [1]

  • 80,000 soldiers
  • 30,000 policemen
  • 1,750 tanks
  • 1,900 combat vehicles
  • 9,000 cars
23,000 members of Solidarity, protesters, governmental defectors and other unprivileged belligerents armed mostly with small arms
Casualties and losses
  • 1 killed
  • over 20 injured
  • 91 killed
  • Thousands arrested

Martial law in Poland (Polish : Stan wojenny w Polsce) existed between 13 December 1981 and 22 July 1983. The government of the Polish People's Republic drastically restricted everyday life by introducing martial law and a military junta in an attempt to counter political opposition, in particular the Solidarity movement.

Contents

Since the late 1970s, communist Poland had been in a deep economic recession. Edward Gierek, First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR), had obtained a series of large loans from foreign creditors to achieve better economic output, but they instead resulted in a domestic crisis. Essential goods were heavily rationed, which acted as a stimulus to establishing the first anti-communist trade union in the Communist Bloc, known as Solidarity, in 1980. Gierek, who permitted the trade union to appear per the Gdańsk Agreement, was dismissed from his post less than a month later and confined to house arrest. Following countless strikes and demonstrations by employees of chief industrial regions, Poland was heading towards bankruptcy. The new First Secretary, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, was determined to put an end to the demonstrations by force if necessary.

On 13 December 1981, Jaruzelski announced the introduction of martial law in a televised speech, following the vote of the Council of State the previous day which formally authorised its introduction. An extraconstitutional military junta, the Military Council of National Salvation (WRON), was formed to rule Poland during the time. The Polish People's Army, Citizens' Militia (MO), ZOMO special paramilitary units, and tanks were deployed on the streets to demoralize demonstrators, begin regular patrols, control strategic enterprises, and maintain curfew. Intercity travelling without a permit was forbidden, food shortages intensified, and censorship was placed on all media and correspondence. The secret services (SB) wiretapped phones in public booths and state institutions. Thousands of opposition activists were imprisoned without trial, [2] and although martial law was lifted in 1983, many political prisoners were not released until a general amnesty in 1986. The crackdown on the opposition led the Reagan Administration to introduce economic sanctions against Poland and the neighbouring Soviet Union, further worsening the former's economy.

Some protests appeared in response to the introduction of martial law. On 16 December, the ZOMO squads pacified the pro-Solidarity miners' strike in the Wujek Coal Mine in the industrial city of Katowice, killing nine demonstrators. Other demonstrations across Poland were dispersed by the military or paramilitary units, which utilized water cannons, tear gas, batons, truncheons, and clubs, killing 91 people in total, though this figure is uncertain and is still debated among historians. [2] Martial law succeeded in marginalising the Solidarity movement, which would largely remain on the sidelines until the late 1980s. As fewer people engaged in anti-government demonstrations, martial law was suspended on 31 December 1982, [3] and was formally lifted on 22 July 1983, a state holiday.

Prelude

Reforms of Edward Gierek (1970–1975)

Gierek in the White House with President Gerald Ford, 1974 Photograph of President Gerald R. Ford, First Secretary Edward Gierek of Poland, and Mrs. Stanislawa Gierek Waving from the Blue Room Balcony during a State Arrival Ceremony - NARA - 7462054.jpg
Gierek in the White House with President Gerald Ford, 1974

When Edward Gierek succeeded Gomułka as the head of state in 1970, he took decisive measures to boost economic growth and develop modern infrastructure. [4] Gierek, a more liberal figure than his predecessor, was determined to make Poland the wealthiest and most economically significant communist country of the Eastern Bloc. [5] However, these ideas prompted resistance from hardline communist leadership as the reform would effectively abandon the fundamental principles of a centrally planned Marxist economy. The grip and emphasis on state-owned enterprises and state-controlled prices or trade were eventually loosened. Small private businesses began to appear and Poland recorded temporary growth in GDP and an improvement in living conditions. [6] [7]

Gierek maintained close ties with the United States, which he subsequently used for diplomatic and economic purposes. [7] In order to continue with the reforms, large sums of money were borrowed from creditors in the Western Bloc. [8] These sequential and uninterrupted loans were primarily targeted at establishing heavy industry, mines or manufacturing facilities that would produce goods for export. [8] [9] The projected income from the exports would then be used to pay off the debt. Apart from financing the economic sector, the money was spent on social housing and on expanding road connections, for example the first fully operational highway linking Warsaw with industrial Silesia was opened for traffic in 1976. [10] Furthermore, over 1.8 million plattenbau flats were constructed to house the growing population. Agricultural output rose by nearly 22% between 1971 and 1975, and industrial production by 10.5% annually. [11] [12] Gierek also initiated the construction of Warszawa Centralna, Europe's most modern railway station at the time. [13] [14] [15] [16]

Crisis; debt, rationing and shortages (1976–1981)

A ration card for sugar, 1976 Kartka cukier 1kg 07-76.jpg
A ration card for sugar, 1976

As expenditures increased and debts accumulated, foreign creditors refrained from granting Poland loans. Moreover, the 1973, June 1976 protests and 1979 oil crises affected the fragile economy. Due to previous GDP growth, higher income and expanded industries, the demand for certain goods and consumption surged. [17] [18] New factories and state enterprises required imported fuel, materials and a workforce to operate production lines. [19] Soon, the country started exporting locally-produced stock designated for the Polish populace, thus resulting in widespread shortages. [20] Because the remaining assets were directed at production, exports and debt repayment, the state also reduced imports to minimize expenses.

In 1976, the communist government introduced ration cards for sugar, [21] meat, processed food and dairy followed. [22] Confectionery, cocoa, coffee, rice, tobacco and other goods not produced in Poland were so heavily rationed that they were almost permanently unavailable. [23] [22] Due to the constant lack of tobacco, ordinary cigarettes became a form of new currency on the black market. [24] The living standards began to sharply decline; the supply of imported goods was kept to a low minimum and the country was forced to export everything it could, including coal necessary for basic heating and power plants. Power outages were commonplace. [25] By 1980, the debt accounted to over US$23 billion, then almost half of Poland's nominal GDP. [26]

Edward Gierek (right) with President Jimmy Carter (left) during his state visit to Warsaw, 1977. The loans were among the chief topics discussed Jimmy Carter and Edward Gierek First Secretary of Poland - NARA - 177308.jpg
Edward Gierek (right) with President Jimmy Carter (left) during his state visit to Warsaw, 1977. The loans were among the chief topics discussed

At the same time, the newly-founded Solidarity movement encouraged farmers to refrain from selling agricultural products (wheat, grain, fruit and others) to the state as a sign of protest. The actual shortage of goods on the market and in stores was caused by the fact that production was occasionally halted due to the strikes organized by Solidarity. [27] In 1980, the national income fell by 6% compared to previous year, and in 1981 by 12%. [28] The number of exports declined by 4.2%. Mismanagement and wastefulness were abundant. [29]

On 6 September 1980, Gierek was dismissed from his office, expelled from the Polish United Workers' Party (possibly under the pressure from the Soviet Union) and falsely charged with corruption. [30] [31] A year later, on 10 September 1981, the Soviet authorities informed the Polish government that in connection with the prevailing situation in Poland the USSR would cut oil supply to Poland by 64% and gas by 47%. [32] The import of diesel from the Soviet Union was terminated immediately. [32] This action was intended to force the Polish communist authorities to suppress the demonstrations and dissolve Solidarity. [33] The situation was already dire and gradually worsened, which only fueled anti-communist sentiment. A civil war was hanging by a thread. [34]

In 1981, Poland notified Club de Paris (a group of Western-European central banks) about its insolvency, which caught the attention of the entire world. [35]

Introduction, restrictions, patrols

Secret preparations and provocation

General Jaruzelski was determined to suppress any opposition along with the Solidarity Movement Wojciech Jaruzelski.jpg
General Jaruzelski was determined to suppress any opposition along with the Solidarity Movement

After the short tenure of Stanisław Kania, General and Minister of Defence Wojciech Jaruzelski was chosen as the new first secretary. Before assuming office, Jaruzelski ordered the Polish General Staff to update plans for a nationwide martial law on 22 October 1980. [36] In November 1980, the Ministry of Internal Affairs planned to potentially facilitate thousands of oppositionists in state prisons and places of internment. [37]

On 5 December 1980, Kania spoke of the preparations relating to martial law at the Warsaw Pact Summit in Moscow. [38] [39] He presented his own view of how to weaken Solidarity and insisted that a "psychological-operational method" would be most appropriate to prevent violence. [40] This method entailed strong propaganda [40] against the movement and deploying secret services (SB) to go undercover and infiltrate Solidarity headquarters in the hope of creating internal conflicts within the opposition. General Jaruzelski was not fully satisfied with the plan, and, in case of failure, already planned radical actions involving the army. Stanisław Kania warned Brezhnev that an armed intervention from the Soviet side to aid Jaruzelski would be met "with a violent reaction, or even with a national uprising" [41] that would shake the politics of the Eastern Bloc. [41]

Zbigniew Brzezinski, chief security advisor to US president Jimmy Carter, stated that if the Soviet Union would undertake an armed intervention in Poland, the US would strike back in a riposte manner. [42] According to historian and publicist Paul Kengor, then-US president Ronald Reagan considered sending American troops to Poland to scare off the Soviets. [43] This claim was not supported by Brzezinski nor by Richard Pipes from Harvard University. [43] Kengor then elaborated that Reagan eventually abandoned the plan after he was convinced by his own advisors that the US army stationed across Europe was less capable and much weaker than the Soviet forces. [43] The United States eventually struck back with economic sanctions against Poland and the USSR. [42]

A censored regional newspaper that reported about the Bydgoszcz events, in which the militia abused Solidarity members. The censorship was to prevent the slander of state services WieczorWroclawia20marca1981.jpg
A censored regional newspaper that reported about the Bydgoszcz events, in which the militia abused Solidarity members. The censorship was to prevent the slander of state services

In February 1981, the Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of the Internal Affairs carried out a training scenario, the purpose of which was to explore how martial law would be introduced. [44] The ministries agreed that martial law should be preceded by appropriate propaganda calling for its support, and the decision itself should be based on a pretext that it would bring peace and stability for the society. [45] It was also highlighted that martial law must occur before the fully mobilized Fighting Solidarity and its allies organize a general strike that would paralyze the entire country. [45] By March, the situation escalated after the Bydgoszcz events, in which local Solidarity delegates invited for a regional national council meeting in Bydgoszcz to discuss potential strikes were beaten and abused by the citizens' militia (MO). [46] The event, which was to feature in newspapers as a provocation, was concealed by censors. On 27 March, Solidarity organized a warning strike directed at the government, but, on 30 March, Lech Wałęsa met with Mieczysław Rakowski and a compromise was achieved. [47] The general strike was called off and the situation stabilized for a short period. [47]

In July, the Soviets increased their military presence in the military base at Borne Sulinowo, where the Red Army stationed per Warsaw Pact agreement as in all other Eastern Bloc countries. [48] Without notifying the Polish authorities, the Soviets unexpectedly sent over 600 tanks to Borne Sulinowo. A month later, commander-in-chief of the Warsaw Pact, Viktor Kulikov, requested that Soviet military advisors be placed in the Polish General Staff and assigned to nearly all Polish regiments. It is suspected that Kulikov, acting on behalf of the Soviet Union, was tasked with sending undercover KGB agents to monitor the situation in Poland from the Polish military's perspective. His request, however, was immediately denied by the Polish government. [48]

Over 25,000 posters announcing martial law were secretly printed in the Soviet Union, transported to Poland by airplane and hidden in the large building housing the Ministry of Internal Affairs. [49] The full extent of the actions undertaken by Jaruzelski to instigate martial law was not known by even some of the highest notables in the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party or the Polish Sejm. [50]

12–13 December 1981; Operations Fir and Azalea

The Military Council of National Salvation (WRON), which was founded on 13 December and presided over the military junta. Its Polish abbreviation "WRONa" means a crow bird, and members of the council were known to the opposition as evil "Crows" AGAD Posiedzenie Wojskowej Rady Ocalenia Narodowego.jpg
The Military Council of National Salvation (WRON), which was founded on 13 December and presided over the military junta. Its Polish abbreviation "WRONa" means a crow bird, and members of the council were known to the opposition as evil "Crows"

On 12 December 1981, shortly before midnight, the Polish Council of State gathered in Warsaw's Belweder Palace and approved nationwide martial law. Simultaneously, the Military Council of National Salvation (WRON – Wrona is translated as "Crow") was founded and its members were high-ranking generals or military officers in the Polish People's Army, who were in charge of the military junta. The generals and officers later became known to the public as evil "Crows", in relation to the Polish name of the council.

At precisely 00:00 (12:00 a.m.), the Motorized Reserves of the Citizens' Militia (ZOMO) began "Akcja Jodła" (English: Operation Fir) and arrested the first members of Solidarity who were at close reach. [51] [52] They were then placed in previously-prepared detention facilities. [52] In total, between 70,000 and 80,000 soldiers of the People's Army and 30,000 functionaries of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (including SB, ZOMO and the militia) were deployed for action. Around 1,750 tanks, 1,900 armoured combat vehicles, 500 militarized transport units, 9,000 cars and several helicopter squadrons were in service. [36] [1] [53] Twenty-five per cent of all units concentrated in the capital, Warsaw, or in surrounding localities.

Preceding Jodła was "Akcja Azalia" (English: Operation Azalea), which began at around 22:30 (10:30 p.m.) on 12 December. [54] [55] Per Azalea, the SB secret services, paramilitary troops, the Militia, ZOMO and Border Protection Troops stormed 451 telecommunications exchange facilities and cut telephone lines to allegedly prevent the spread of misinformation. [55] However, the operation's true purpose was preventing Solidarity from contacting its branches in other cities to mobilize protesters. Radio and television stations were also besieged. [54] Any volunteers wishing to assist in the arrests were drafted into ORMO.

The Polish Radio informed about martial law being imposed at a 06:00 (6:00 a.m.) audition, and transmitted the speech made by General Jaruzelski. [56] Telewizja Polska network and its chief news program Dziennik (English: Journal) aired the speech in a slightly modified version. [57] The declaration was watched by millions of Polish citizens despite the early hour.

16 December 1981; Wujek Coal Mine

ZOMO squads with police batons preparing to disperse and beat protesters. The sarcastic caption reads "outstretched hands of understanding" or "outstretched hands for agreement", with batons ironically symbolizing hands Stan wojenny w Polsce - 1981-1983 - 08.JPG
ZOMO squads with police batons preparing to disperse and beat protesters. The sarcastic caption reads "outstretched hands of understanding" or "outstretched hands for agreement", with batons ironically symbolizing hands

Three days after restrictions were imposed, miners at the Wujek Coal Mine in the industrial city of Katowice began striking against the declaration of martial law by General Jaruzelski. [58] Most of the miners and workers at Wujek were allied with the Solidarity Movement, with its leaders boycotting the state industries. Furthermore, coal was a precious fuel source that was used for generating electricity and heat, but also a major export material. [59] By selling and exporting coal, the communist government obtained enough money to gradually pay off the outstanding debt. [59] However, as Solidarity boycotted the mines in Silesia and demonstrations became more frequent, the production level dropped considerably along with revenue.

Jaruzelski perceived this as a threat to both state security and the economy. The forces used in the thrust consisted of eight ZOMO squads supported by ORMO, seven water cannons, three regiments with infantry combat vehicles and one tank regiment. [60] It was decided that the situation was far too serious for adopting the principles of morality to appropriately deal with the miners. Instead, the well-equipped ZOMO and army troops fired at the protesters with a "shoot to kill" technique. [60] 21 were wounded, 8 were killed on the spot and 1 died in hospital, with the youngest victim being only 19 years old. [61] The remaining crowd was violently dispersed. The miners repeatedly fought back with their work tools and, in retaliation, wounded dozens of soldiers and militiamen. [62] It was one of the deadliest single incidents during the martial law period. [63]

Gdańsk, Kraków, Lubin and continuing protests

The former PZPR headquarters in Gdansk (right). ZOMO machine-gunned demonstrators from the rooftop 2010-07-08-gdansk-by-RalfR-05.jpg
The former PZPR headquarters in Gdańsk (right). ZOMO machine-gunned demonstrators from the rooftop

On the same day as Wujek was pacified, a 30,000-strong [64] demonstration was held in the northern port city of Gdańsk. Clashes with ZOMO continued until 17 December and over 324 individuals were injured. The Militia used firearms and machine guns when the crowd approached the Polish United Workers' Party headquarters in Gdańsk. [65] A short and presumably cautionary gun salvo from the building's roof hit several people and wounded four. One participant was killed. [66] The southern city of Kraków was also witnessing heavy demonstrations, with thousands marching on the street demanding an end to the martial law and communist rule. [67]

On the night of 29–30 April 1982, local miners in Wodzisław Śląski planted a bomb and blew up a monument dedicated to Soviet soldiers who took control of Poland from the Nazis in 1945. [68] It was the only incident involving explosives and the caught perpetrators became subsequently known as "Bombers from Silesia" (Polish: "Bombowcy ze Śląska"). [68] The operation was a success as the monument was never reconstructed, though the bombers were sentenced and jailed soon after. Other suspects and hundreds of other miners across Silesia were sacked and removed from their job posts, which further weakened the economy.

In May 1982, the protests convened by Solidarity were receiving less attention and the struggle against the government was evidently weakening. However, by August, the social unrest again surged. On 31 August 1982, demonstrations took place in around 66 [69] towns and cities, with at least 18 in the southwestern province of Lower Silesia. In Wrocław, one of the main centers of Fighting Solidarity, several thousand people for many hours clashed with ZOMO units. [70] One demonstrator was killed by a bullet.

The copper-mining town of Lubin also became a hotspot for Solidarity-led rallies. [71] On that day, the gathered people sang the Polish national anthem and chanted slurs and slogans against the communist regime, against the military junta with Jaruzelski as its head and against the Soviets. After approximately 30 minutes, the rally of 2,000 [71] was surrounded by the Militia, armed with AK-47 assault rifles. In response, agitated protesters shouted slurs such as "pigs", "bandits", "Gestapo", "murderers" and "servants of Brezhnev". [72] An unsuccessful attempt was made at building a barricade, but the government units were able to pass through and dispersed the first group with tear gas. When the demonstrators regrouped and formed a second wave, ZOMO opened fire and wittingly murdered 2 men. The now infuriated crowd began continuous attacks and the Militia shot several more times, injuring one more man at the back of his head. He died in the hospital a few days later. Reinforcements were sent from Legnica [73] and the new deployees were organized into so-called "raid groups" in Nysa vans. [71] [74] These groups roamed the streets, often attacking casual passers-by. [74] Immediately after the protest was pacified, security forces began the destruction of any evidence to conceal the crime. [75] During the night of 31 August – 1 September, the streets were cleared, with all shells and bullets taken for analysis. On 2 September, authorities ordered the repairs of damaged buildings; broken windows were replaced and traces of bullets on the walls were covered with plaster. [75] The investigation, despite consistent statements made by witnesses of the massacre, was closed.

To avoid further escalation, on 14 November, Lech Wałęsa was released from custody in a detention camp. Following his release, no major demonstration took place. [76]

Law, rules and censorship

An intercity travel pass, 1981 Przepustka-stan wojenny.jpg
An intercity travel pass, 1981
A censored telegram, 1982 Censored Telegram Poland 1982.jpg
A censored telegram, 1982

From the very beginning in December 1981, a strict curfew was imposed from 19:00 (7:00 p.m.) until 6 in the morning. [77] The time of curfew was later adjusted to 22:00 (10:00 p.m.)–06:00. [78] Night walks or escapades were forbidden and street patrols were commonplace. The WRON Military Council sealed off the country's borders, closed all airports [79] and road access to main cities was restricted. Special permission passes were issued for individuals in extraordinary cases. [80] Telephone lines were disconnected, mail was subjected to renewed postal censorship, [81] all independent political organizations were criminalized and lessons in schools and universities temporarily suspended. [82]

The government imposed a six-day workweek while the mass media, public services, healthcare services, power stations, coal mines, seaports, railway stations, and most key factories were placed under military management, with employees having to follow military orders or face a court martial. As part of the crackdown, media and educational institutions underwent "verification", a process that tested each employee's attitude towards the regime and to the Solidarity movement; as a result, thousands of journalists, teachers and professors were banned from their professions. Military courts were established to bypass the normal court system, to imprison those spreading fake news. [83] In an attempt to crush resistance, civilian phone lines were routinely tapped and monitored by government agents.

Synopsis

During the initial imposition of martial law, several dozen people were killed. Official reports during the crackdown claimed about a dozen fatalities, while a parliamentary commission in the years 1989–1991 arrived at a figure of over 90. [84] Others were also killed and wounded during a massive second wave of demonstrations on 31 August 1982.

At the invitation of Jaruzelski, a delegation of the ruling Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party visited Poland between 27 and 29 December. The Hungarians shared with their Polish colleagues their experiences on crushing the "counterrevolution" of 1956. Earlier in the autumn of 1981, Polish television had broadcast a special film on the 1956 events in Hungary, showing scenes of rebels hanging security officers etc. [85]

Economic impact

Food, alcohol, and cigarettes rationing card Kartka P3 11-83.jpeg
Food, alcohol, and cigarettes rationing card

Even after martial law was lifted, a number of restrictions remained in place for several years that drastically reduced the civil liberties of the citizenry. It also led to severe economic consequences. The ruling military dictatorship instituted major price rises (dubbed "economic reforms"), which resulted in a fall in real wages. The resulting economic crisis led to even more rationing of most basic products and materials.

As a consequence of the economic hardships and political repressions, an exodus of Poles saw 700,000 migrate to the West between 1981 and 1989. [86] A number of international flights were even hijacked in attempts to flee the country and its economic problems. Between December 1980 and October 1983, 11 Polish flights were hijacked to Berlin Tempelhof Airport alone. [87]

Around the same time, a group calling themselves the "Polish Revolutionary Home Army" seized the Polish Embassy in Bern, Switzerland on 6 September 1982, taking several diplomats as hostages. However, this turned out to be an apparent provocation by the communist Polish secret services aiming to discredit the Solidarity movement. [88]

International response

Students in Edinburgh, Scotland collecting signatures for a petition in support of Solidarity in 1981 Solidarity petition, Edinburgh.JPG
Students in Edinburgh, Scotland collecting signatures for a petition in support of Solidarity in 1981

After the "Wujek" Coal Mine incident in Katowice on 23 December 1981, the United States imposed economic sanctions against the People's Republic of Poland. In 1982, the United States suspended most favored nation trade status until 1987 and vetoed Poland's application for membership in the International Monetary Fund. [89]

January 30, 1982, the first anniversary of the introduction of martial law in Poland, was declared by the administration of American President Ronald Reagan Day of Solidarity with Poland . The next day, January 31, 1982, television stations in many countries, as well as the radio stations Voice of America, Radio Liberty and Radio France Internationale broadcast a joint program entitled Let Poland be Poland . [90]

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) transferred around $2 million yearly in cash to Solidarity, for a total of $10 million over five years. There were no direct links between the CIA and Solidarność, and all money was channeled through third parties. [91] CIA officers were barred from meeting Solidarity leaders, and the CIA's contacts with Solidarność activists were weaker than those of the AFL–CIO, which raised $300,000 from its members, which were used to provide material and cash directly to Solidarity, with no control of Solidarity's use of it. The U.S. Congress authorized the National Endowment for Democracy to promote democracy, and the NED allocated $10 million to Solidarity. [92] CIA support for Solidarity included money, equipment and training, which was coordinated by Special Operations. [93] Henry Hyde, U.S. House intelligence committee member, stated that the USA provided "supplies and technical assistance in terms of clandestine newspapers, broadcasting, propaganda, money, organizational help and advice". [94]

Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, in which he called for peace talks between the state and the workers, supporting the Poles' "undeniable right to resolve their problems by themselves".

Aftermath

Ruling of unconstitutionality

After the fall of Communism in Poland in 1989, members of a parliamentary commission determined that martial law had been imposed in clear violation of the country's constitution, which had authorized the executive to declare martial law only between parliamentary sessions (at other times the decision was to be taken by the Sejm). However, the Sejm had been in session at the time when martial law was instituted. In 1992 the Sejm declared the 1981 imposition of martial law to be unlawful and unconstitutional.

Soviet intervention debate

The instigators of the martial law, such as Wojciech Jaruzelski, argue that the army crackdown rescued Poland from a possibly disastrous military intervention of the Soviet Union, East Germany, and other Warsaw Pact countries (similar to the earlier interventions in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968). [95] Public figures who supported the introduction of martial law (including some of the right-wing figures like Jędrzej Giertych) would also refer to that threat.

In 2009, archive documents hinted that in a conversation Jaruzelski had with Viktor Kulikov, a Soviet military leader, Jaruzelski himself begged for Soviet intervention as his domestic control was deteriorating. [96] [97] Jaruzelski responded by claiming the document was 'just another falsification' and denied all charges. [98]

Declaration script

Led by General of the Army Wojciech Jaruzelski, the Military Council of National Salvation (Wojskowa Rada Ocalenia Narodowego, WRON) usurped for itself powers reserved for wartime, hence the name. The plan was presented to the government of the Soviet Union before the declaration in March 1981.

Appearing on Polish television at 6:00 a.m. on 13 December 1981, General Jaruzelski said: [99]

Today I address myself to you as a soldier and as the head of the Polish government. I address you concerning extraordinarily important questions. Our homeland is at the edge of an abyss. The achievements of many generations and the Polish home that has been built up from the dust are about to turn into ruins. State structures are ceasing to function. Each day delivers new blows to the waning economy./.../
The atmosphere of conflicts, misunderstanding, hatred causes moral degradation, surpasses the limits of toleration. Strikes, the readiness to strike, actions of protest have become a norm of life. Even school youth are being drawn into this. Yesterday evening, many public buildings remained seized. The cries are voiced to physical reprisals with the 'reds', with people who have different opinions.
The cases of terror, threats and moral vendetta, of even direct violence are on the rise. A wave of impudent crimes, robberies and burglaries is running across the country. The underground business sharks' fortunes, already reaching millions, are growing. Chaos and demoralization have reached the magnitude of a catastrophe. People have reached the limit of psychological toleration. Many people are struck by despair. Not only days, but hours as well are bringing forth the all-national disaster./.../
Citizens!
The load of responsibility that falls on me on this dramatic moment in the Polish history is huge. It is my duty to take this responsibility – concerning the future of Poland, that my generation fought for on all the fronts of the war and for which they sacrificed the best years of their life. I declare, that today the Military Council of National Salvation has been formed. In accordance with the Constitution, the State Council has imposed martial law all over the country. I wish that everyone understood the motives of our actions. A military coup, military dictatorship is not our goal./.../
In longer perspective, none of Poland's problems can be solved with the use of violence. The Military Council of National Salvation does not replace constitutional organs of power. Its only purpose is to keep the legal balance of the country, to create guarantees that give a chance to restore order and discipline. This is the ultimate way to bring the country out of the crisis, to save the country from collapse./.../
I appeal to all the citizens. A time of heavy trials has arrived. And we have to stand those in order to prove that we are worthy of Poland.
Before all the Polish people and the whole world I would like to repeat the immortal words:

Poland has not yet perished, so long as we still live!

See also

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Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski was a Polish military general, politician and de facto leader of the Polish People's Republic from 1981 until 1989. He was the First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party between 1981 and 1989, making him the last leader of the Polish People's Republic. Jaruzelski served as Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985, the Chairman of the Council of State from 1985 to 1989 and briefly as President of Poland from 1989 to 1990, when the office of President was restored after 37 years. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's Army, which in 1990 became the Polish Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Gierek</span> Polish politician; leader of Poland (1970–1980)

Edward Gierek was a Polish Communist politician and de facto leader of Poland between 1970 and 1980. Gierek replaced Władysław Gomułka as First Secretary of the ruling Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) in the Polish People's Republic in 1970. He is known for opening communist Poland to the Western Bloc and for his economic policies based on foreign loans. He was removed from power after labor strikes led to the Gdańsk Agreement between the communist state and workers of the emerging Solidarity free trade union movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polish People's Republic</span> Country of the Warsaw Pact and Eastern Bloc from 1947 to 1989

The Polish People's Republic was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern-day Republic of Poland. From 1947 to 1952 it was known as the Republic of Poland, and it was also often simply known as Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million near the end of its existence, it was the second most-populous communist and Eastern Bloc country in Europe. A unitary state with a Marxist–Leninist government, it was also one of the main signatories of the Warsaw Pact alliance. The largest city and official capital since 1947 was Warsaw, followed by the industrial city of Łódź and cultural city of Kraków. The country was bordered by the Baltic Sea to the north, the Soviet Union to the east, Czechoslovakia to the south, and East Germany to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryszard Kukliński</span> Polish colonel and spy (1930–2004)

Ryszard Jerzy Kukliński was a Polish colonel and Cold War spy for NATO. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of brigadier general by Polish President Andrzej Duda. Kukliński passed top secret Soviet documents to the CIA between 1972 and 1981, including the Soviet plans for the invasion of Western Europe. The former United States National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzeziński described him as "the first Polish officer in NATO."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Council of National Salvation</span> 1981–1983 ruling military junta of Poland

The Military Council of National Salvation was a military junta administering the Polish People's Republic during the period of martial law in Poland between 1981 and 1983. It was headed by General and First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party Wojciech Jaruzelski. It is also the only military junta to ever take charge of an Eastern Bloc nation, as all other contemporaries were headed by political communists rather than their military counterparts. Depending on the classification of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, Jaruzelski's rule (1981-1990) was also either the only one or one of two times in history where a communist nation was led by a career army commander.

The Motorized Reserves of the Citizens' Militia, commonly known as ZOMO, were paramilitary-police formations during the communist era in Poland. These elite units of Citizens' Militia (MO) were originally created to fight dangerous criminals, to provide security during mass events, and help in the case of natural disasters and other crises; however, they became known instead for their brutal and sometimes repressive lethal actions of riot control and their role in quelling civil rights protests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanisław Kania</span> Polish politician; leader of Poland (1980–1981)

Stanisław Kania was a Polish communist politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Poland (1945–1989)</span> Communist rule in Poland

The history of Poland from 1945 to 1989 spans the period of Marxist–Leninist regime in Poland after the end of World War II. These years, while featuring general industrialization, urbanization and many improvements in the standard of living, were marred by early Stalinist repressions, social unrest, political strife and severe economic difficulties. Near the end of World War II, the advancing Soviet Red Army, along with the Polish Armed Forces in the East, pushed out the Nazi German forces from occupied Poland. In February 1945, the Yalta Conference sanctioned the formation of a provisional government of Poland from a compromise coalition, until postwar elections. Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, manipulated the implementation of that ruling. A practically communist-controlled Provisional Government of National Unity was formed in Warsaw by ignoring the Polish government-in-exile based in London since 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Czesław Kiszczak</span> Polish general and politician

Czesław Jan Kiszczak was a Polish general, communist-era interior minister (1981–1990) and prime minister (1989).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Solidarity</span> History of the Polish trade union

Solidarity, a Polish non-governmental trade union, was founded on August 14, 1980, at the Lenin Shipyards by Lech Wałęsa and others. In the early 1980s, it became the first independent labor union in a Soviet-bloc country. Solidarity gave rise to a broad, non-violent, anti-Communist social movement that, at its height, claimed some 9.4 million members. It is considered to have contributed greatly to the Fall of Communism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacification of Wujek</span>

The Pacification of Wujek was a strike-breaking action by the Polish police and army at the Wujek Coal Mine in Katowice, Poland, culminating in the massacre of nine striking miners on December 16, 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 demonstrations in Poland</span> 1982 protests for democracy in Poland

The 1982 demonstrations in Poland refers to anti-government street demonstrations organized by underground Solidarity to commemorate the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. The bloodiest protest occurred in southwestern Poland, in the town of Lubin, on August 31, 1982. The Lubin demonstration resulted in three protesters killed by Communist services, and an unknown number of wounded. On the same day, rallies and demonstrations took place in several cities across the country. According to Solidarity sources, there were four more victims—in Wrocław, Gdańsk, Nowa Huta, and Toruń. According to official government sources, there were demonstrations in 66 cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soviet reaction to the Polish crisis of 1980–1981</span>

The Polish crisis of 1980–1981, associated with the emergence of the Solidarity mass movement in the Polish People's Republic, challenged the rule of the Polish United Workers' Party and Poland's alignment with the Soviet Union. For the first time however, the Kremlin abstained from military intervention, unlike on previous occasions such as the Prague Spring of 1968 and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, and thus left the Polish leadership under General Wojciech Jaruzelski to impose martial law to deal with the opposition on their own.

<i>Wroniec</i> (book) 2009 novel by Jacek Dukaj

Wroniec is a fantasy novel published in 2009 by the Polish science fiction writer Jacek Dukaj, published in Poland by Wydawnictwo Literackie. The novel is extensively illustrated by Jakub Jabłoński. It was nominated for the prime Polish award for science-fiction literature, the Janusz A. Zajdel Award, as well as the Angelus award, in 2009. It also received the Autumn 2009 prize of the Poznański Przegląd Nowości Wydawniczych.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1981 strike at the Piast Coal Mine in Bieruń</span>

The 1981 strike at the Piast Coal Mine in Bieruń was the longest underground protest in the postwar history of Polish mining, and the longest strike of the martial law in Poland. It began on December 14, 1981, one day after introduction of the martial law, and ended on December 28, when approximately 1,000 protesting miners emerged from the mine. They spent two weeks underground, including Christmas, and ended the protest after the government guaranteed their safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomasz Gizbert-Studnicki</span>

Tomasz Gizbert-Studnicki is a Polish jurist and professor of legal sciences specializing in legal theory, Head of the Department of Legal Theory at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University, legal counsel, co-founder and senior partner in the SPCG law firm, who was also an activist of the democratic opposition in the Polish People's Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maciej Klich</span> Polish historian (born 1958)

Maciej Klich(Mattias Jan-Maria) [ˈmat͡ɕɛj klʲix'] is a Polish historian, graphic artist, and former anti-communist Polish independence activist. In 1980, Klich co-founded the Independent Students' Association in Silesia. Klich was interned on 24 December 1981, during the martial law set by the communist regime in Poland. In internment camps, Klich created 70+ stamps for the so-called "camp mail". Klich was released on 23 July 1982. After his release, Klich participated in the underground Solidarity, and the underground Independent Students' Association.

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Further reading