View source for Dissident movement in the People's Republic of Poland

{{Short description|Polish political movement}}
The '''dissident movement in the Polish People's Republic''' was a [[political movement]] in the [[Polish People's Republic]] (predecessor of the modern [[Poland|Republic of Poland]], Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) whose aim was to change the political system from unitary [[Marxism–Leninism|Marxist–Leninist]] government imposed by the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] to [[Democracy|democratic]] form of government.
== Historical background ==
{{main|History of Poland (1945–1989)}}
[[File:PKWN Manifest.jpg|left|thumb|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]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fehér|first=Ferenc|date=1987-12-01|title=Eastern Europe's Long Revolution against Yalta|journal=East European Politics and Societies |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=1–34 |doi=10.1177/0888325488002001001 |s2cid=144902712 |issn=0888-3254}}</ref> As a result, Poland remained under the [[Soviet Union]]'s dominance.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Osmańczyk|first=Edmund|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QqlFx7xHiSUC|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M|date=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-93922-5|language=en}}</ref> Formally was a separate country, in reality it couldn't make independent decisions without [[Moscow]]'s approval. The power was held by the [[Polish United Workers' Party]] (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, PZPR).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Polish Academic Information Center|first=University at Buffalo|date=15 June 2009|title=The Historical Setting: The Polish People's Republic|url=http://info-poland.icm.edu.pl/classroom/longhist6.html|access-date=2020-06-19|website=info-poland.icm.edu.pl}}</ref> The party stayed in power not because of the social support but because of suppressing society and military support from [[Soviet Union|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.
[[File:PKWN manifest.jpg|thumb|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.<ref name=":1">Hajdasz E., Kiewel G., Łukaszka E., Mazur P., Tucznio H., Lekcje o współczesne Polsce, Polski Ośrodek Naukowy Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Londynie (3 February 2014) {{Citation|title=PRL w pigułce|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wEaPL2k0Js|language=en|access-date=2020-06-19}}</ref> Their influence of a communistic rule was far beyond that. The economy was [[Centralisation|centrally planned]], with all the prices and amount of the goods on the market regulated by the government officials.<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref name=":1" /> 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 (Poland)|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-Communism|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]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Krzyżanowski|first=Jerzy R.|title=Generał: opowieść o Leopoldzie Okulickim (The Story of Leopold Okulicki)|publisher=Odnowa|year=1980|isbn=978-0-903705-35-6|location=Londyn|language=pl|oclc=7653391}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Konstytucja Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej (1952)|publisher=Dziennik Ustaw Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej|year=1952|publication-date=22 July 1952}}</ref> 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 (politics)|terror]] lessened. Another factor influencing the situation in Poland was a mysterious death of its president [[Bolesław Bierut]] in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Śmierć Bolesława Bieruta|url=https://nowahistoria.interia.pl/historia-na-fotografii/smierc-boleslawa-bieruta-zdjecie,iId,1389467,iAId,111205|access-date=2020-06-19|website=nowahistoria.interia.pl|language=pl}}</ref>
=== Beginnings of the dissident movements ===
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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ciupa R.|first=Małachowska E.|title=Wystawa "Oczy i Uszy Bezpieki"|work=IPN|url=https://ipn.gov.pl/download/1/31826/1-19342.pdf|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref> Citizens, including workers started to rise their voices regarding constantly violated human rights and overall discontent. People called for reforms.<ref name=":1" /> In [[Poznań protests of 1956|June 1956]] the worker's strike in [[Poznań]] took place and gathered over 100 000 people.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Grzelczak|first=Piotr|date=2014-03-13|title=Poznański Czerwiec 1956. Walka o pamięć w latach 1956–1989|url=https://repozytorium.amu.edu.pl/handle/10593/10294|journal=Adam Mickiewicz University Repository|language=pl}}</ref> The strike met a brutal response from the government, resulting in up to hundred deaths.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Paczkowski|first=Andrzej|title=Pół wieku dziejów Polski|publisher=Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN|year=2005|isbn=83-01-14487-4|location=Warsaw}}</ref> 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. He had a support of the society as none person before.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Siedziako|first=Michał|date=14 December 2017|title=Od nadziei do buntu. Polska pod rządami Władysława Gomułki.|url=https://dzieje.pl/artykuly-historyczne/od-nadziei-do-buntu-polska-pod-rzadami-wladyslawa-gomulki|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Dzieje.pl}}</ref> the country didn't manage to gain the political and economic independence from [[Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik|SSSR]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Weremiuk|first=Sławomir|date=2014|title=Specyfika stosunków polsko-radzieckich w latach 1944-1991|url=http://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.desklight-15c435ff-2689-493f-9995-3fa48fa3bd4c|journal=Przegląd Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego|language=PL|volume=6|issue=11|pages=43–57|issn=2080-1335}}</ref> After Władysław Gomułka took power, 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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Majewski|first=Jerzy|date=30 January 2018|title=Gdy 50 lat temu zdjęto z afisza "Dziady" Dejmka, społeczeństwo zaprotestowało. Pierwsza konfrontacja z władzą komunistyczną w burzliwym 1968 roku|url=https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,22958704,precz-z-cenzura-chcemy-mickiewicza.html?disableRedirects=true|access-date=2020-05-24|website=warszawa.wyborcza.pl}}</ref> Further protests escalated, in December 1970 workers in northern Poland are protesting because of the increase in meat prices.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Grudzień 1970|url=https://dzieje.pl/wideo/grudzien-1970|access-date=2020-06-19|website=dzieje.pl|language=pl}}</ref> The [[Polish protests of 1970|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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Polskie Radio|date=2019-12-17|title="Czarny czwartek" - 17 grudnia 1970. Najkrwawszy dzień robotniczego powstania na Wybrzeżu|url=https://polskieradio24.pl/art156_2422816|access-date=2020-06-19|website=PolskieRadio24.pl}}</ref> 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 but the result wasn't the one expected.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Rae|first=Gavin|date=2016-03-01|title=Public Debt and Its Impact on the Polish Economy and Society|url=https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/jmbace/24/1/article-p89.xml|journal=Central European Management Journal|language=en|volume=24|issue=1|pages=89–112|doi=10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.165|issn=2450-7814|doi-access=free}}</ref> Factories and public services began to be modernized, stores equipped with local goods.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Tarnowski|first=Paweł|date=17 October 2012|title=Właśnie spłaciliśmy długi Gierka|url=https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/rynek/edukatorekonomiczny/1531277,1,dluga-splata-dlugow-prl.read|access-date=2020-06-27|website=www.polityka.pl|language=pl}}</ref> The government managed by [[Edward Gierek]] (leader of Poland between 1970 and 1980) run into severe debt.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Crittenden|first=Ann|date=1981-05-21|title=Polish Debt Enmeshes the West|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/21/business/polish-debt-enmeshes-the-west.html|access-date=2020-06-27|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 1978 Bank of England they warned that [[Polish People's Republic|PRL]] would not be able to repay the loans.<ref name=":4" /> However, the decade ended with the recession, development backed up by the loans was only effective for a short time.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Moore|first=Richard|title=Poland: Communism's New Look Documentary|work=NET, National Educational Television and Radio Center|location=San Francisco|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwMGfeNqwyU}}</ref> The loans that the government then took, were paid back in 2012.<ref name=":3" /> 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 ===
{{Main|Polish anti-religious campaign}}
Important role in fighting communism had a common [[religion]] of the Polish society. Over 90% of the society defined themselves as [[Catholic Church|Catholics]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Porter|first=Brian|title=Catholic Church in Poland {{!}} Making the History of 1989|url=http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/exhibits/roman-catholic-church/introduction|access-date=2020-06-27|website=chnm.gmu.edu}}</ref> Religion is thought to be something that brought people together giving hope and a feeling of participation.<ref name=":2" /> After [[World War II]] authorities continuously run [[Polish anti-religious campaign]] aimed at (inter alia) the [[Catholic Church in Poland]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walaszek|first=Zdzisława|title=An Open Issue of Legitimacy: The State and the Church in Poland|publisher=Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 483, Religion and the State: The Struggle for Legitimacy and Power|year=1986|pages=118–134}}</ref> 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 focus on the celebration without the religious context presenting it as the [[Millennium of the Polish State]]. On the other hand, the Catholic Church  wanted to underline the relationship between [[Catholicism]] and the [[Poland|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 [[History of the Jews in Poland|Jewish Community in Poland]], resulting in migration of thousands of them.
== Groups of dissidence ==
* The [[Workers' Defence Committee]] (''Komitet Obrony Robotników'', KOR)
* Movement of Young Poland (Ruch Młodej Polski)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cenckiewicz|first=Stanisław|url=http://www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/sluzba-bezpieczenstwa-w-walce-z-ruchem-mlodej-polski-1979%E2%80%931988,4212.pdf|title=Służba Bezpieczeństwa w walce z Ruchem Młodej Polski 1979–1988}}</ref>
* Students' [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Solidarity]] Committees (Studenckie Komitety Solidarności)
* [[Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights|Movement for Defense of Human and Civil Rights]] (Ruch Obrony Praw Człowieka i Obywatela, ROBCiO)
* [[Free Trade Unions of the Coast]] (Wolne Związki Zawodowe Wybrzeża, WZZW)
== Currents of dissidence ==
=== Strikes ===
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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=42. rocznica radomskiego Czerwca|url=https://www.pb.pl/czerwiec-76-od-podwyzek-cen-do-buntu-robotnikow-797255|website=pb.pl|language=pl|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> 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 [[Milicja Obywatelska|Citizens' Militia]] (MO) to quell demonstrations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Karłowicz|first=Ziemowit|title="Solidarność" – Zmotoryzowane Odwody Milicji Obywatelskiej (ZOMO) - Leksykon - Teatr NN|url=http://teatrnn.pl/leksykon/artykuly/solidarnosc-zmotoryzowane-odwody-milicji-obywatelskiej-zomo/|access-date=2020-06-23|website=teatrnn.pl|language=pl}}</ref> The information about the increase resulted in protests starting the next day on 25 June 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sasanka|first=Paweł|title=Czerwiec 1976|url=https://dzieje.pl/aktualnosci/czerwiec-1976|access-date=2020-06-23|website=dzieje.pl|language=pl}}</ref> The government expected the riots to be focused in bigger cities such as [[Warsaw]], [[Kraków|Krakow]], [[Szczecin]], [[Gdańsk|Gdansk]], or [[Upper Silesia]]. However, the protests centers were [[Radom]], Warsaw's suburb of Ursus, and [[Płock]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Radom, Ursus 1976|url=https://www.rp.pl/artykul/83797-Radom--Ursus-1976.html|website=www.rp.pl|language=pl|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> After a few days of riots, the government decided to take back the decision and the news regarding riots were suppressed.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1 January 1980|title=Poland's Angry Workers|journal=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> However, the participants faced big repressions with legal charges, years in prison, or being beaten including those in need of hospitalization.<ref name=":0" />  Because of the continuing economic crisis, the government introduced [[ration stamp]]s (Kartki). From 1976 "kartki" were necessary for everyone to buy even basic products.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sklepy w czasach PRL|url=http://wiedzaiedukacja.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/karolina-szymanska-sklepy-w-prl.pdf|last=Szamańska|first=Karolina|website=Wiedza i edukacja|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019092744/http://wiedzaiedukacja.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/karolina-szymanska-sklepy-w-prl.pdf|archive-date=2014-10-19|access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref>
=== Formation of a dissidence ===
After [[World War II]], the communist system allowed [[History of trade unions in Poland|trade unions]] (after 1939, under German occupation those were prohibited).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Historia Powstania Związków Zawodowych|url=http://www.solidarnosc-icn.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=63|access-date=2020-06-23|website=www.solidarnosc-icn.pl}}</ref> Originally planned as an instrument of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) to prevent for instance solidarity movements, later met with resistance of the participants, resulting in many further confrontations and strikes. In September 1976 group of intellectuals founded the [[Workers' Defence Committee]] (''Komitet Obrony Robotników'', KOR).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dlaczego powstał KOR?|url=https://dzieje.pl/wideo/dlaczego-powstal-kor|access-date=2020-06-23|website=dzieje.pl|language=pl}}</ref> 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 funds for the affected families by the disciplinary dismissals. Hunger-strikes became their common form of pressuring the authorities.
==== Murder of Stanisław Pyjas ====
[[Stanisław Pyjas]], a student cooperating with KOR was murdered in May 1977. 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 ====
In 1977 the [[Workers' Defence Committee]] was reorganized into the [[Committee for Social Self-Defense KOR|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 [[Polish underground press|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. In 1979 [[Leszek Moczulski]] created [[Confederation of Independent Poland]] (Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej KPN). It was the first one anti-communistic party in the Eastern Communist Bloc.
==== Winter of 1978/1979 ====
The winter of 1978/1978 was extreme and showed how inefficient the government was even when dealing with natural occurrences. Besides the large amount of snow, temperatures went down to -30 degrees Celsius. For almost a month factories were unable to operate. The government was calling citizens for help. Although they tried to introduce some solutions, their efforts were unsuccessful.
==== Pope John Paul II ====
On 16 October 1978 Polish Cardinal [[Pope John Paul II|Karol Wojtyła]] was elected pope. He took the name [[Pope John Paul II]]. Since most of the society was Catholic, the election of a Pole as pope raised hope in the Polish community. The Pope also supported anti-communist narrative which caused concern among communists. The authorities of the USSR expressed opposition to the Pope's visit to Poland, however, [[Edward Gierek]] allowed the Pope to make a pilgrimage to Poland in June 1979. About 6 million people took part in the visit. Joint prayers helped Poles see how much strength they had together.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vinocur|first=John|date=1979-06-11|title=9 Triumphant Days in Poland|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/11/archives/9-triumphant-days-in-poland-pope-in-messages-spoken-with-passion.html|access-date=2020-06-19|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Political prisoners in Poland]]
* [[Soviet dissidents]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|}}
==Bibliography==
#{{cite journal|doi=10.1177/0888325488002001001|title=Eastern Europe's Long Revolution against Yalta|year=1987|last1=Fehér|first1=Ferenc|journal=East European Politics and Societies and Cultures|volume=2|pages=1–34|s2cid=144902712}}
#Osmańczyk, Edmund (2003), Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M, Taylor & Francis, {{ISBN|978-0-415-93922-5}}
[[Category:Dissident movement in the People's Republic of Poland| ]]