Dr. Jakub Basista
Political and Social History of CEE in 20th Century
Topic 18.
Solidarity Revolution of 1980/81.
1980
18 February – p.m. Piotr Jaroszewicz changed for Edward Babiuch
March – elections to the parliament
1 July– price increase of “some assortments of meat”
1 July– strikes in Ursus, Tczew, Tarnów, Sanok, Mielec. Rzeszów and other cities
16 July – strikes start in Lublin
Authorities manage to suppress strikes in some factories through wage increase
July – strikes spread – 177 factories went on strike in July – about 80,000 workers
14 August – Lenin shipyard in Gdańsk starts to strike
17 August – shipyard in solidarity with others continues strike; 21 postulates formulated
18 August – first discussions on force solutions – military suppression of strikes
21 August– governmental committee starts negotiations (vicepremier Mieczysław Jagielski)
23August – general strike at seashore (Gdańsk)
29 August – solidarity strike in Jastrzębie (coal mine)
30 August– agreement signed in Szczecin (Kazimierz Barcikowski, Stefan Jurczyk)
31 August – agreement signed in Gdańsk (Jagielski, Lech Wałęsa) –agreement allows for free, independent trade unions to be formed
3September – agreement signed in Jastrzębie
5/6 September– plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the PZPR; Stanisław Kania replaces Edward Gierek as 1st secretary
September – spontaneous forming of independent labor unions
17 September – decision to organize one labor union – SOLIDARITY
21 September – peasants/farmers form a registration committee
9 October – Czesław Miłosz receives Nobel Prize for literature
10 November– Solidarity registered
1-3 December– Wojciech Jaruzelski starts to work on a military plan to suppress Solidarity following threats from Moscow and other states
5 December – Warsaw Pact meeting in Moscow; Jaruzelski presents plans to suppress Solidarity
1981
2 January – farmers start a strike in Rzeszów, Nowy Sącz and other places
21 January – 18 February – student strikes – ended after registration of NZS
30 January – agreement reached concerning free Saturdays and Solidarity access to mass media
11 February – Jaruzelski becomes premier (his appeal for 90 peaceful days)
18 February – agreement signed with farmers
28 February – rationing of meat and other products announced (from 1 April)
8-9 March – Farmers’ Solidarity called to life
19 March– three Solidarity activists beaten up in Bydgoszcz– a provocation – threat of a general strike
27 March – the largest 4-hour general strike in Polish history
April – Solidarity numbers 7-8 mln.
3 April – first edition of Solidarity weekly appears
22 April – decision about rationing of butter and flour products
12 May – Farmers’ Solidarity registered
13 May – attempt to assassinate John Paul II in Rome
28 May – primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński dies
July – IX Congress of PZPR; Stanisław Kania ramains 1st Secretary
30 July – hunger marches in various Polish cities
3-5 August – Solidarity blocks the center of Warsaw
6 August – negotiations between Solidarity and government (Party) broken
14 August – Kania and Jaruzelski visit Breshnev in Crimea
5-10 September – Solidarity Congress meets in Gdańsk – the congress issues an “Appeal to All Working People in Eastern Europe” (Posłanie do ludzi pracy Europy Wschodniej) – which is strongly criticized in Poland and abroad
16 September– Politburo condemns the Congress
25 September –7 October – second round of Solidarity Congress; KOR dissolved; Lech Wałęsa elected Solidarity president (55% votes)
October – worsening of domestic situation in Poland; shortage of gasoline
16-18 October– Jaruzelski becomes 1st secretary of PZPR
2 December – Police and army breaks strike in Warsaw Firemen’s College
3 December– Solidarity protests against use of force; December 17th is to see mass protest
11-12 December– meeting of the Solidarity Country Committee – highest union authority
13 December– Martial Law introduced by general Wojciech Jaruzelski; Jaruzelski announces that Wojskowa Rada Ocalenia Narodowego – WRON (Military Council of National Salvation) has been created and took over power in Poland in order to prevent chaos and anarchy; the decree introducing martial law forbids and public gatherings, strikes, demonstrations etc.; special regulations are introduced to stop Solidarity activity and ban all underground actions; about 10000 activists are detained on the night 12/13 December