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71-587: Originally, it was intended to become the regional office of the Main Technical Organization ( Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna, NOT ) and be named the NOT Tower . The construction of the building was started in 1975, but stopped permanently in 1979 because of economic constraints and political unrest which later culminated in the imposition of martial law in Poland in 1981. Due to the skeletal appearance of

142-590: 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 . In an attempt to crush resistance, civilian phone lines were routinely tapped and monitored by government agents. During

213-461: A state holiday , following an appeal of the Military Council of National Salvation . When Edward Gierek succeeded Gomułka as the head of state in 1970, he took decisive measures to boost economic growth and develop modern infrastructure. Gierek, a more liberal figure than his predecessor, was determined to make Poland the wealthiest and most economically significant communist country of

284-473: A strict curfew was imposed from 19:00 (7:00 p.m.) until 6 in the morning. The time of curfew was later adjusted to 22:00 (10:00 p.m.)–06:00. Night walks or escapades were forbidden and street patrols were commonplace. The WRON Military Council sealed off the country's borders , closed all airports and road access to main cities was restricted. Special permission passes were issued for individuals in extraordinary cases. Telephone lines were disconnected, mail

355-565: 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

426-605: 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. 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. Around

497-533: A few days later. Reinforcements were sent from Legnica and the new deployees were organized into so-called "raid groups" in Nysa vans . These groups roamed the streets, often attacking casual passers-by. Immediately after the protest was pacified, security forces began the destruction of any evidence to conceal the crime. 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

568-411: 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. 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

639-651: A workforce to operate production lines. Soon, the country started exporting locally-produced stock designated for the Polish populace, thus resulting in widespread shortages . 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, meat, processed food and dairy followed. Confectionery, cocoa , coffee, rice, tobacco and other goods not produced in Poland were so heavily rationed that they were almost permanently unavailable. Due to

710-477: 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. 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

781-571: Is the biggest Polish association representing professional engineers and technicians with 110,000 members and 49 regional branches (Engineering Associations) across the country. Its headquarters have been in Warsaw since 1905. A similar organization was founded in 1835 in Paris, France as the Polish Polytechnical Society , during the military Partitions of Poland by foreign powers. Since 1905

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852-472: Is uncertain and is still debated among historians. 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, based on a resolution adopted on 19th of December and was formally lifted by a resolution of the Council of State on 22 July 1983,

923-572: The "counterrevolution" of 1956 . Earlier in the autumn of 1981, Polish television had broadcast a special film on the events of 1956 in Hungary, showing scenes of rebels hanging security officers etc. 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

994-681: The Eastern Bloc . Zbigniew Brzezinski , chief security advisor to US president Jimmy Carter , stated that if the Soviet Union undertook an armed intervention in Poland, the US would strike back in a riposte manner. According to historian and publicist Paul Kengor , then-US president Ronald Reagan considered sending American troops to Poland to scare off the Soviets. This claim was not supported by Brzezinski nor by Richard Pipes from Harvard University . Kengor then elaborated that Reagan eventually abandoned

1065-530: The Eastern Bloc . 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. Gierek maintained close ties with

1136-538: 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

1207-425: 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

1278-506: The Palace of the Soviets , Siena Cathedral and Ryugyong Hotel . Polish Federation of Engineering Associations The Polish Federation of Engineering Associations ( Polish : Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna (NOT)), translated interchangeably as: the Polish Chief, Main or Central Technical Organization; also known as Federacja Stowarzyszeń Naukowo–Technicznych (FSNT) in Polish,

1349-607: 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 . 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

1420-766: 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 . 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

1491-494: The United States , which he subsequently used for diplomatic and economic purposes. In order to continue with the reforms, large sums of money were borrowed from creditors in the Western Bloc . These sequential and uninterrupted loans were primarily targeted at establishing heavy industry, mines or manufacturing facilities that would produce goods for export . The projected income from the exports would then be used to pay off

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1562-442: The citizens' militia (MO). 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. The general strike was called off and the situation stabilized for a short period. In July, the Soviets increased their military presence in

1633-482: 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. 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. Gierek also initiated

1704-446: The "health path" - a line of beating riot police. 80 prisoners were severely beaten, 20 were taken to hospital, 3 were crippled. Several victims of beatings died after being released. On September 6, 1982, "in the majesty of martial law" 6 beaten prisoners were arrested and sentenced to prison terms ranging from one and a half to two years. The copper-mining town of Lubin also became a hotspot for Solidarity-led rallies. On that day,

1775-656: 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. CIA support for Solidarity included money, equipment and training, which

1846-758: The Citizens' Militia (ZOMO) began "Akcja Jodła" (English: Operation Fir) and arrested the first members of Solidarity who were at close reach. They were then placed in previously-prepared detention facilities. 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. Twenty-five per cent of all units concentrated in

1917-763: The Federation of Engineering Associations of Poland ( Federacja Stowarzyszeń Naukowo-Technicznych w Polsce ). In the Edward Gierek decade in Communist Poland , the Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna NOT began the construction of the 92-metre (24-floor) high-rise building known as the NOT Tower in Kraków . It was intended to provide a large amount of office space. The concrete shell was erected in 1975, but

1988-844: The Magistrate after further inspections, due to its structural stability. More recently, in December 2011 the heated debate about its possible future, based on brand new plans by TreiMorfa, has been cut short by the local courts for legal reasons. Those most disappointed, it seems, are the average citizens. Martial law in Poland Polish government victory [REDACTED] Polish People's Republic Supported by: Solidarity Movement Supported by: [REDACTED] Wojciech Jaruzelski Initial strength : Martial law in Poland ( Polish : Stan wojenny w Polsce ) existed between 13 December 1981 and 22 July 1983. The government of

2059-643: The Ministry of Internal Affairs. 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 . On 12 December 1981, shortly before midnight , the Polish Council of State gathered in Warsaw's Belweder Palace and approved nationwide martial law. Simultaneously,

2130-432: The Soviet Union was terminated immediately. This action was intended to force the Polish communist authorities to suppress the demonstrations and dissolve Solidarity. The situation was already dire and gradually worsened, which only fueled anti-communist sentiment. A civil war was hanging by a thread. In 1981, Poland notified Club de Paris (a group of Western-European central banks) about its insolvency , which caught

2201-590: The association of Polish engineers has had a permanent office in Warsaw at Dom Technika located at ul. Czackiego 3/5. After World War II, the organization was re-activated on the initiative of Bolesław Rumiński in already liberated Warsaw on December 12, 1945. It was commonly known as NOT in Communist Poland , and renamed after the Revolutions of 1989 as the NOT Federation ( Federacja Stowarzyszeń Naukowo-Technicznych – NOT ). Since June 28, 2005 it had been called

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2272-616: The attention of the entire world. 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 nationwide martial law on 22 October 1980. In November 1980, the Ministry of Internal Affairs planned to potentially facilitate thousands of oppositionists in state prisons and places of internment. On 5 December 1980, Kania spoke of

2343-575: The building was never finished, because of economic constraints and political unrest leading to the imposition of martial law in Poland in 1981. In time, due to the unfinished (and blackening) building's resemblance to a skeleton, it was nicknamed " Szkieletor " by the people of Kraków after Skeletor , the arch-villain in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe , a cartoon popular in Poland at that time. For years

2414-516: 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. 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. However,

2485-429: The caught perpetrators became subsequently known as "Bombers from Silesia " (Polish: "Bombowcy ze Śląska"). 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, which further weakened the economy. In May 1982, the protests convened by Solidarity were receiving less attention and

2556-433: The complicated legal status of the land on which it stood and the high cost of its demolition or adaptation. In 2007, a new plan for the building was put forward, which postulated to increase its height from 92 to as high as 130 meters. German architect Hans Kollhoff was invited to take part in the reconstruction of the building, which was supposed to be completed by the time of UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. However,

2627-460: The constant lack of tobacco, ordinary cigarettes became a form of new currency on the black market . 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. By 1980, the debt accounted to over US$ 23 billion, then almost half of Poland's nominal GDP . At

2698-495: The construction of Warszawa Centralna , Europe's most modern railway station at the time. 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. New factories and state enterprises required imported fuel, materials and

2769-553: The decision itself should be based on a pretext that it would bring social stability and peace. 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. 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

2840-622: 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. 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

2911-485: The earlier interventions in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968 ). 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

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2982-463: 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 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 ". An unsuccessful attempt

3053-453: 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" that would shake the politics of

3124-562: 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. 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

3195-552: The military base at Borne Sulinowo , where the Red Army was stationed per Warsaw Pact agreement as in all other Eastern Bloc countries. 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

3266-632: 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

3337-499: 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. Any volunteers wishing to assist in the arrests were drafted into ORMO . Polish Radio offered information about martial law being imposed in a 06:00 (6:00 a.m.) broadcast, and transmitted the speech made by General Jaruzelski. Telewizja Polska network and its chief news program Dziennik (English: Journal) aired

3408-663: 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. The United States eventually struck back with economic sanctions against Poland and the USSR. 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. The ministries agreed that martial law should be preceded by appropriate propaganda calling for its support, and

3479-507: The preparations relating to martial law at the Warsaw Pact Summit in Moscow . He presented his own view of how to weaken Solidarity and insisted that a "psychological-operational method" would be most appropriate to prevent violence. This method entailed strong propaganda against the movement and deploying secret services (SB) to go undercover and infiltrate Solidarity headquarters in

3550-491: The project was rejected by the Provincial Conservation Council on the grounds that the new building was located within a historical urban landscape. The building was partially owned by TreiMorfa Project. The long debate about its possible future use based on brand new plans was cut short by the courts in December 2011 because of legal improprieties by its new design team. Austrian engineering company Strabag

3621-415: The protesters with a "shoot to kill" technique. 21 were wounded, 8 were killed on the spot and 1 died in hospital, with the youngest victim being only 19 years old. The remaining crowd was violently dispersed. The miners repeatedly fought back with their work tools and, in retaliation, wounded dozens of soldiers and militiamen. It was one of the deadliest single incidents during the martial law period. On

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3692-481: The radio stations Voice of America , Radio Liberty and Radio France Internationale broadcast a joint program entitled Let Poland be Poland . 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. CIA officers were barred from meeting Solidarity leaders, and

3763-430: The repairs of damaged buildings; broken windows were replaced and traces of bullets on the walls were covered with plaster. 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. From the very beginning in December 1981,

3834-503: The same day as Wujek was pacified, a 30,000-strong 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. A short and presumably cautionary gun salvo from the building's roof hit several people and wounded four. One participant

3905-555: 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. After the "Wujek" Coal Mine incident in Katowice on 23 December 1981,

3976-544: 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 shortage of goods on the market and in stores was worsened by production being occasionally halted due to the strikes organized by Solidarity. In 1980, the national income fell by 6% compared to the previous year, and in 1981 by 12%. The number of exports declined by 4.2%. Mismanagement and wastefulness were abundant. On 6 September 1980, Gierek

4047-493: The speech in a slightly modified version. The declaration was watched by millions of Polish citizens despite the early hour. 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. Most of the miners and workers at Wujek were allied with the Solidarity Movement, with its leaders boycotting

4118-452: The state and the workers, supporting the Poles' "undeniable right to resolve their problems by themselves". 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

4189-514: The state industries. Furthermore, coal was a precious fuel source that was used for generating electricity and heat, but also a major export material. By selling and exporting coal, the communist government obtained enough money to gradually pay off the outstanding debt. 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

4260-540: The structure remained the biggest eyesore in the Kraków skyline, reportedly named by the editors of Huffington Post as one of the top-ten "post-apocalyptic" (i.e. abandoned and deserted) buildings in the world. The "NOT Tower" has since 2005 been owned by TreiMorfa Project, who have expressed interest in renovating it. Apparently, its controlled demolition suggested earlier by the British firm Medinbrand Ltd. has been rejected by

4331-399: The struggle against the government was evidently weakening. However, by August, social unrest had again surged. On 31 August 1982, demonstrations took place in around 66 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. One demonstrator

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4402-549: The unfinished building, it was dubbed the Skeletor ( Polish : Szkieletor ). Investors expressed interest in renovating the building throughout the years. In the 1980s, the building was proposed to house apartments for employees at the Nowa Huta steelworks , and after the fall of communism, a large hotel chain became interested in the facility and wanted to complete the unfinished building, but all these efforts were discouraged by

4473-495: Was coordinated by Special Operations. 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". Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński , in which he called for peace talks between

4544-530: 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 . 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%. The import of diesel from

4615-669: Was given the commission to rebuild. The building's floors were removed and replaced, but the steel frame retained and reused. The exterior architecture was inspired by the Art Deco architecture of the 1920s and 30s. The use of grey stone and the architecture was partially inspired by the Maccabees Building . In 2018, before the full reconstruction of the building was completed, the ArchDaily architecture website named Szkieletor as one of "History's Most Notorious Unfinished Buildings" alongside

4686-405: 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 imposition 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 ,

4757-471: Was killed by a bullet. On August 14, 1982, in an even known as "Bloody Saturday", the most brutal pacification of the ZOMO took place in the Kwidzyn internment camp located in the territory of the city's prison. For five hours, the riot police beat the prisoners. Some had 50 blows from the batons reflected on their backs. A selection was taking place in the recreation room. The selected internees were herded through

4828-520: Was killed. 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. 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. It was the only incident involving explosives and

4899-401: 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

4970-502: 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, 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

5041-446: Was subjected to renewed postal censorship , all independent political organizations were criminalized and lessons in schools and universities temporarily suspended. 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

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