Solidarity Movement Marks 30th Anniversary
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the movement known across Poland as "Solidarnosc," a non-violent, anti-communist social movement that brought together 10 million Poles at the height of its influence on the Polish Soviet-backed government.
On 14 August 1980, workers of the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk began an unprecedented strike that lasted two weeks, and ended with the signing of an agreement in which the Polish communist government gave in to the strikers' demands at the end of August and beginning of September. These demands first focused on local issues, such as erecting a monument in honour of the shipyard workers who were killed during violent protests in 1970, and rehiring Lech Walesa and Anna Walentynowicz, both of whom had been dismissed from the Gdansk shipyard for their political activism.
As the strikes spread to factories across Poland, the list grew and became known as the '21 points,' which focused on general workers' rights and social concerns, such as the relaxation of censorship, new rights for the church, the freeing of political prisoners and improvements in the health service, as well as legalising independent trade unions. Acceptance of the latter demand resulted in the formation of the only trade union independent of the communist government, Solidarity. Nine years later, the Solidarity-led opposition negotiated semi-free elections in Poland and brought Walesa into the presidency, toppling communist government rule. It was the first nation to do so of the Soviet satellite states, creating a domino effect amongst the others.
Celebrations will be hosted all over Poland by Solidarity chapters still in existence. The largest will take place in the Gdansk shipyards, where the strikes began, and will include musical concerts by Macy Gray (USA) and Marianne Faithful (UK), an open-air staged production directed by Robert Wilson (USA), poetry readings, including a piece chosen by Wislawa Szymborska from her repertoire, and a fireworks display by internationally renowned Group F (France). On September 4th, the Solidarity chapter in Krakow will host its own anniversary party, called 'A day with Solidarity in Krakow,' starting in the Market Square at noon. The focus of the celebration will be the unveiling of a plaque that will read 'We won't give up August' ('Nie oddamy sierpnia'), and the headlining band of the night will be Polish classic rock band Budka Suflera.