Fall of Communism in Poland

First off, I looked hard in the search feature for this topic..I thought for sure I'd see this, so I apologize if it has been done.

When communism was finally and officially over, what were the feelings Poles had? I can't even begin to put myself in your shoes and imagine what it was like, being a complete 180 turn. Was it as simple as going to work the next day like nothing happened? Was there running and rejoicing through the streets?

Please share some experiences or thoughts.

the guys will probably tell you about that history and all (another controversial topic)...
before the end of communism...i remember my parents standing in long lines with food stamps to get food (1 kg of meet, 1 kg of sugar, etc...in rations)...i was only a few years old when military declared a state of emergency (Martial Law).... i remember many people on the streets...and the smell of tear gas...

https://polishforums.com/history/poland-december-anniversary-martial-law-17080/

God Bless a Free Poland

For me personally it was very strange. Communism fell down in summer of '89. That year i ended my education in elementary school and after summer break (when old system colapsed) i went to highschool. Everything was different in terms of new school obviously. But i won't forget big poster in the hall of my highschool showing Lech Wałęsa, Pope John Paul II and massive "Solidarność" (Solidarity) logo on it. I saw it officially legal for the first time.

This would be good to learn more about. I did this in class yesterday and really teased out a lot of info.

To make a long story short.
I was just happy to see my country without the Russian occupants...
Freedom is a beatiful thing.

Thank God we got rid of Poland!

My poor Kostik, do you really believe it !?
We're gonna stay with you forever.
With our dear brothers from Mongolian stepes.

Borrka, do you think that communism is dead? Well, may be you are right, but we still have another aces in pack! One of them is 'autocracy, orthodoxy, popularity'. Do you think that you could endure it?

People say that communism fell in '89. True, but... last occupant soldier left the country in 1994 as I remember. Of course they had no power like before 1989 but still were there.

You have Western occupants now. I guess you prefer Nike swooshes and McDonald's arches to hammers and sickles.


He has. The God of the "free" market has blessed us with public spending cuts, massive unemployment and bankruptcy. More than a million jobless. That's quite the achievement in a country that had not before known unemployment.

We love our new conquerors. They rule us by making us feel free from communism. USA! USA!

What happened to the millions of communist party members?

They live among us scaring children at nights..

Seriously, they live their lives like every other citizen today.

I wonder if any of them sold their communist party membership ID on ebay...

Many of them do not want to hear anything about their communist past being obedient supporters of the government party.

I don't think anyone would buy it. Probably they are not worth too much tho.

They really did blow with the breeze. A communist to me is synonymous with a disloyal weirdo without a cause other than control.

Stasi members are still proud.I doubt about the old communict members ho changed direction after 1989.

You're not far from the truth.


Some of communists are also still very proud. But many members of communist party became a members only because being a member was a requirement for many well paid jobs as everything belonged to the government.

Only members of the party could be in the management etc. Unfortunately for so many it was all about ideology.

I suppose this is the case till now?

Hey, if a potato chip with seemingly Holy Mary's shape on it got sold...anything can be. After all, it is a historic ID.

A Jaruzelski tatoo on the arm.What can be better?

I think you're right Eurola. I think I underrated the imagination of some groups of people.. ;)


Jaruzelski is very controversial personality. You never know his intentions.

There are missed moments from his biography.

they became the tycoons.

Millions of tycoons?This system worked after all.

Many are listening to radio maryja now with a rosary in their hands.

darn it, where is that little krakowianka?


go ahead and wear your own yoke. enjoy. :)


obviously you don't know so let me tell you: communism absolutely sucked.. you can't even imagine how bad..


yeah, those glasses never did help. ;)

Like Jaruzelski.

;)

He's doing pretty well I'd say. Still getting some awards in Russia..