History /
Question on Poland 1980-82 (the history of Solidarity during the years of 1980 and 1981) [17]
Answering for myself, not for all Poles (and I won't check for typos):
- What was your view of Solidarity and KOR in August of ’80 and did it change by December of ’81? If so how and why?
The period that spans the early movemet was to short to make sense of a lot. All we cared abut was unity of all Pols against the commuists. Slight differences did not matter all that much, although increased number of strikes begain to be a nuissance.
-Did government rationing and propaganda play a role?
A role in what?
-What were the rations and what commodities were available? What commodities were luxury items? What were, if any, the differences between city and country life?
There was a shortage of everything, from booze to books. Coupons issud by the gov. were for sugar, alcohol, cigaretes, butter meat (except the really crappy one, the kind British cuisine is famous for). I can't recall more items.
-What was your view of the PUWP, specifically Gen. Jaruzelski, PM Kania, and Gen Olszowski? Did it change between Aug ’80 and Dec ’81? If so how and why?
Tha view didn't change a lot during that time. They were obviously Soviet puppets.
-What was your view of Col. Kuklinski’s defection? Did you know of it at that time? If so, how did you hear of it?
A hero. News first came from Radio Free Europe and from Voice of America. Polish news eventualy publicized it further, fom the communist angle whereby he was declared a traitor.
-What was your view of the CPSU; Brezhnev, Andropov, Ustinov, Suslov, etc? Was Marshal Kulikov a know figure? If so, how?
Brezhnev - there were spontaneous discos in the loby of my university. They dancing started before 8am in the morning after he died. We were expressing our joy.
Andropov - I remeber the arrogance of the news when he replacd Brezhnev. They were talking about all commie countries leaders congratulating him. When it came to Hungary, they said Andropv had a special relationship with Humgarians. It was true. He was in charge of te Soviet troops who squashed the Hungarian Uprising during which a the majority of the young and educated were killed or imprisoned.
The other ones were pretty much auxiliary figure heads to us.
-Did the USSR’s history of Hungary ’56, Czechoslovakia ’68, and Afghanistan ’79 play on your mind during this time? Did it affect how you viewed your government or Solidarity’s actions?
We did, and some of us still do, have a sense of guilt over Prague and Poland's role.
I had a conversation once with a Warsaw Pact military inspector in the rank of Colonel. Already then he said Afghanistan was a disaster that wold fiish the uSSR off. That made us think a little too bravely perhaps. If they can't handle Afghaistan they won't handle us.
-The ZOMO, how often and what impact did they have on your life or those around you?
Daily. random ID checks, itercity travel, curfew.
-And what role or effect did Cardinal Wyzsynski and Pope John Paul II have on you, your friends and family, and on the government and Solidarity?
Big boost in the general youthful enthusiasm
-For those who attended church, what was the message from the pulpit?
Don't give up. God gave us rights so stand for them.
-What was the reaction after the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II?
The USSR was automatically blamed. The news was a bit worrisome from the psychological point of view. Some saw it as the Soviet prelude to realy get at Poles in a very hard way.