August 31, 1982 demonstrations in Poland
Encyclopedia
August 31, 1982 demonstrations in Poland refers to anti-government street demonstrations organized by underground Solidarity to commemorate the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement
. The bloodiest protest occurred in southwestern Poland, in the town of Lubin
, on August 31, 1982. The Lubin demonstration resulted in three protesters killed by Communist services, and an unknown number of wounded. On the same day, rallies and demonstrations took place in several cities across the country. According to Solidarity sources, there were four more victims—in Wrocław, Gdańsk
, Nowa Huta
, and Toruń
. According to official government sources, there were demonstrations in 66 cities.
crushed the opposition, introducing martial law
. Main oppositional movement, Solidarity, was delegalized, and its key members were interned. However, by April 1982, Solidarity re-emerged, creating its underground body, the Temporary Coordinating Committee (known as TKK from the Polish name Tymczasowa Komisja Koordynacyjna), with delegates who had eluded arrests – Zbigniew Bujak
from Warsaw
, Bogdan Lis
from Gdańsk
, Wladyslaw Frasyniuk
from Wrocław, and Wladyslaw Hardek from Kraków
. At the beginning, the Committee opposed street demonstrations, drawing the so-called "Five times yes" appeal, which stipulated negotiations with the government and release of all political prisoners. However, when the program was rejected, the Committee changed its stance, announcing "Five times no" appeal, and urging the nation to participate in demonstrations on August 31, 1982, the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement
.
The August 31 street protests were organized by all regional underground structures of Solidarity. In Lower Silesia
, the main oppositional bodies were Regional Strike Committee, and Fighting Solidarity
. In Legnica Voivodeship
, there also were such organizations, as Interfactory Strike Committee, and Interfactory Coordinating Committee. The demonstrations were regarded as very important for the future of the opposition movements, as activists hoped that they would become a turning point, forcing the government to change its policy.
The government was aware of these plans, and initiated a massive propaganda campaign aimed at reducing the number of demonstrators. Special posters were printed and distributed, and on August 25, general Czeslaw Kiszczak
spoke on TV, warning against "possible tragic consequences". His threats were barely concealed: "If the provocateurs have not had enough of their lessons, we will provide them with some more". In factories across the nation, party
activists warned the workers, telling them not to demonstrate.
However, the most important part of the action was carried out by the security services
. In the last days of August, its agents detained hundreds of people, and confiscated several underground printing shops. On August 28, during a teleconference, general Czeslaw Kiszczak
told police commanders of the voivodeship
s: "The victory must be ours. We have to use a tough rule of action: be quick and determined". Members of Polish Politburo
sometimes used exaggerated tone, while describing plans of Solidarity. On August 26, during a meeting with party activists in Szczecin
, said: "The plans of the extremists are the following: public gatherings, a general strike, and, if necessary, an uprising aimed at overthrowing the social system. I accuse Solidarity leaders of political stupidity, leading to crimes against the state and the nation".
On August 27, Zbigniew Bujak
, one of Solidarity leaders who had eluded arrest, published a statement, in which he urged the nation to participate in rallies and demonstrations on the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. Two days later, general Jaruzelski warned people to keep away from protests. On the next day, units of riot police armed with water cannons were deployed on the streets of Warsaw and main cities of the country. Citizens were warned that the government would not hesitate to use force. Polish news agency PAP
issued a statement, which said: "The martial law decree makes the forces of law and order absolutely responsible for ensuring public order. In order to fulfill this duty, the agencies of law and order may use means of direct compulsion and in special cases they can be aided by units of the armed forces".
. Official reports stated that protests took place in 65 places. In Wrocław, which was one of main centers of underground Solidarity, several thousand people for many hours fought riot police and soldiers. One demonstrator, 27-year old Kazimierz Michalczyk, was killed by a bullet. Street fights were a common sight not only in major urban centers, such as Warsaw, Kraków, Szczecin, Wrocław, Łódź , and Gdańsk, but also in provincial cities (Rzeszów
, Koszalin
, Kielce
, Przemyśl
, Częstochowa
, Bielsko-Biała
, Gorzów Wielkopolski
), and towns (Starachowice
, Lubin, Konin
). The magnitude of the demonstrations was confirmed by official sources, as on September 1, PAP informed that a day before, the police detained 4,050 people nationwide (589 in Warsaw, 645 in Wrocław, 201 in Szczecin, and 120 in Gorzów Wielkopolski). Among those arrested was Zbigniew Romaszewski
, a Solidarity activist and physicist of the Polish Academy of Sciences
.
Besides Michalczyk, who was killed in Wrocław, other victims of police brutality were: 32-year old Piotr Sadowski from Gdańsk, Mieczyslaw Joniec from Nowa Huta, and Jacek Osmanski from Toruń. Additional victim was 35-year old Stanislaw Raczek, who was severely beaten during a protest in Kielce
, and died on September 7. In Kielce, where about 4000 people demonstrated in front of the Cathedral, riot police used tear gas and truncheons. In Koszalin, at the main market square, some 3000 people showed up, who were dispersed by the police. In northwestern city of Gorzów Wielkopolski, some 5000 people appeared in front of the cathedral. The demonstration turned into a riot, which lasted several hours, and in which 14 police vehicles were destroyed, 24 officers and 5 demonstrators were wounded, and 200 people detained.
in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
. The rally in the local Freedom Square began on August 31, at 3 pm A cross made of flowers was laid, and a small banner was raised. People sung the Polish national anthem, and than chanted: "down with the junta", "release those interned", "Jaruzelski is a traitor and murderer of the nation", "down with communism", "free Lech Wałęsa" etc. About 30 minutes later, the crowd of 2,000 was surrounded by 80-member unit of the riot police. In response, agitated protesters shouted: "pigs", "bandits", "Gestapo", "servants of Brezhnev". People unsuccessfully tried to erect a barricade. They were attacked and dispersed with tear gas.
At 4 pm, a platoon of riot police (ZOMO) from Legnica
appeared on Lubin streets and immediately attacked the protesters. The officers were armed with machine guns AK-47
, which they pointed towards the demonstrators. When the line of policemen reached the intersection of Kopernika and Odrodzenia streets, some of them opened fire. A few minutes later, two men, 26-year-old Mieczyslaw Pozniak and 32-year-old Andrzej Trajkowski, were mortally wounded.
The events of the late afternoon and evening hours are difficult to recount. It has been established that the police opened fire several times more, thus hitting 28-year-old Michal Adamowicz in the back of his head. He died on September 5. Before 5 pm, another ZOMO platoon came to Lubin (its members were armed with semi-automatic pistols P-83 Wanad
s), and local police commandant asked offices in Leszno
and Zielona Góra
to send more reinforcements. At about 5:30, the police changed their tactics. Instead of attacking large groups of demonstrators, the officers created the so-called raid groups, consisting of 6–7 officers, riding in Nysa
vans. They roamed the town, brutally attacking even single persons.
Meanwhile the demonstrators, upon finding out about deaths of their two colleagues, became more determined. More people joined the fighting, and riots lasted until 10:30 pm, when another ZOMO company from Zielona Góra, a platoon of soldiers from Krosno Odrzanskie
, and three water cannons were brought to Lubin. Altogether, 1323 officers pacified the demonstration, and new street fights erupted in the town both on September 2 and 3. Altogether, on August 31 in Lubin, three demonstrators were killed, unknown number wounded (six of them were hit by bullets). Around 300 people were arrested.
Immediately after pacification of the town, security forces began destruction of evidence. In the night of August 31 – September 1, the streets were carefully cleaned, with all shells and bullets taken for analysis. On September 2, police authorities ordered repairs of damaged buildings – broken windows were replaced, and traces of bullets on the walls were covered with plaster. The investigation, despite consistent statements of witnesses of the massacre, was closed. In July 2007, commandant of Lubin police, Jan M., who pacified the demonstration, was sentenced to seven years.
Gdansk Agreement
The Gdańsk Agreement was an accord reached as a direct result of the strikes that took place in Gdańsk, Poland...
. The bloodiest protest occurred in southwestern Poland, in the town of Lubin
Lubin
Lubin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. From 1975–1998 it belonged to the former Legnica Voivodeship. Lubin is the administrative seat of Lubin County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Lubin, although it is not part of the territory of the latter,...
, on August 31, 1982. The Lubin demonstration resulted in three protesters killed by Communist services, and an unknown number of wounded. On the same day, rallies and demonstrations took place in several cities across the country. According to Solidarity sources, there were four more victims—in Wrocław, Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, Nowa Huta
Nowa Huta
Nowa Huta - is the easternmost district of Kraków, Poland, . With more than 200,000 inhabitants it is one of the most populous areas of the city.- History :...
, and Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. According to official government sources, there were demonstrations in 66 cities.
Background
On December 13, 1981, Communist government of Poland under general Wojciech JaruzelskiWojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski is a retired Polish military officer and Communist politician. He was the last Communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985 and the country's head of state from 1985 to 1990. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's...
crushed the opposition, introducing martial law
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
. Main oppositional movement, Solidarity, was delegalized, and its key members were interned. However, by April 1982, Solidarity re-emerged, creating its underground body, the Temporary Coordinating Committee (known as TKK from the Polish name Tymczasowa Komisja Koordynacyjna), with delegates who had eluded arrests – Zbigniew Bujak
Zbigniew Bujak
Zbigniew Bujak was an electrician and foreman in 1980 at the Ursus tractor factory near Warsaw, Poland. He became engaged with trade union activists, and during the strike action, he organized strike committees at the Ursus factory...
from Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Bogdan Lis
Bogdan Lis
Bogdan Lis is a Polish politician, known for his involvement with the anti-communist Solidarity social movement.Born in Gdańsk in 1952, he worked in Port of Gdańsk and Elmor company. Between 1971 and 1972 he was imprisoned for his participation in the anti-governmental coastal cities protests...
from Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, Wladyslaw Frasyniuk
Wladyslaw Frasyniuk
Władysław Frasyniuk is a Polish politician, former activist of Solidarity trade union, and former chairman of the Partia Demokratyczna - demokraci.pl political party...
from Wrocław, and Wladyslaw Hardek from Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. At the beginning, the Committee opposed street demonstrations, drawing the so-called "Five times yes" appeal, which stipulated negotiations with the government and release of all political prisoners. However, when the program was rejected, the Committee changed its stance, announcing "Five times no" appeal, and urging the nation to participate in demonstrations on August 31, 1982, the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement
Gdansk Agreement
The Gdańsk Agreement was an accord reached as a direct result of the strikes that took place in Gdańsk, Poland...
.
The August 31 street protests were organized by all regional underground structures of Solidarity. In Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...
, the main oppositional bodies were Regional Strike Committee, and Fighting Solidarity
Fighting Solidarity
Fighting Solidarity was a Polish anti-communist underground organization, founded in 1982 by Kornel Morawiecki in Wrocław in response to the delegalization of Solidarity and government repression of the opposition after martial law was declared in 1981...
. In Legnica Voivodeship
Legnica Voivodeship
Legnica Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Legnica.-Major cities and towns :* Legnica...
, there also were such organizations, as Interfactory Strike Committee, and Interfactory Coordinating Committee. The demonstrations were regarded as very important for the future of the opposition movements, as activists hoped that they would become a turning point, forcing the government to change its policy.
The government was aware of these plans, and initiated a massive propaganda campaign aimed at reducing the number of demonstrators. Special posters were printed and distributed, and on August 25, general Czeslaw Kiszczak
Czeslaw Kiszczak
Czesław Kiszczak , was a Polish communist-era soldier and Communist politician. A member of the PPR and later the PZPR, during the years of the Polish People's Republic he served as a high ranking officer of the Polish Army, a chief of secret services and Minister of Internal Affairs between 1981...
spoke on TV, warning against "possible tragic consequences". His threats were barely concealed: "If the provocateurs have not had enough of their lessons, we will provide them with some more". In factories across the nation, party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
activists warned the workers, telling them not to demonstrate.
However, the most important part of the action was carried out by the security services
Sluzba Bezpieczenstwa
Służba Bezpieczeństwa Ministerstwa Spraw Wewnętrznych , or just SB, was established in the People's Republic of Poland in 1954...
. In the last days of August, its agents detained hundreds of people, and confiscated several underground printing shops. On August 28, during a teleconference, general Czeslaw Kiszczak
Czeslaw Kiszczak
Czesław Kiszczak , was a Polish communist-era soldier and Communist politician. A member of the PPR and later the PZPR, during the years of the Polish People's Republic he served as a high ranking officer of the Polish Army, a chief of secret services and Minister of Internal Affairs between 1981...
told police commanders of the voivodeship
Voivodeship
Voivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....
s: "The victory must be ours. We have to use a tough rule of action: be quick and determined". Members of Polish Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
sometimes used exaggerated tone, while describing plans of Solidarity. On August 26, during a meeting with party activists in Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, said: "The plans of the extremists are the following: public gatherings, a general strike, and, if necessary, an uprising aimed at overthrowing the social system. I accuse Solidarity leaders of political stupidity, leading to crimes against the state and the nation".
On August 27, Zbigniew Bujak
Zbigniew Bujak
Zbigniew Bujak was an electrician and foreman in 1980 at the Ursus tractor factory near Warsaw, Poland. He became engaged with trade union activists, and during the strike action, he organized strike committees at the Ursus factory...
, one of Solidarity leaders who had eluded arrest, published a statement, in which he urged the nation to participate in rallies and demonstrations on the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. Two days later, general Jaruzelski warned people to keep away from protests. On the next day, units of riot police armed with water cannons were deployed on the streets of Warsaw and main cities of the country. Citizens were warned that the government would not hesitate to use force. Polish news agency PAP
Polish Press Agency
Polish Press Agency is a Poland's news agency owned by Polska Agencja Prasowa S.A., distributing political, economic, social, and cultural press releases as well as events info and online news, in a similar way to Reuters, Agence France-Presse and AP....
issued a statement, which said: "The martial law decree makes the forces of law and order absolutely responsible for ensuring public order. In order to fulfill this duty, the agencies of law and order may use means of direct compulsion and in special cases they can be aided by units of the armed forces".
Street protests across the country
On August 31, 1982, demonstrations took place in 66 Polish towns and cities, with as many as 18 of them occurring in southwestern province of Lower SilesiaLower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...
. Official reports stated that protests took place in 65 places. In Wrocław, which was one of main centers of underground Solidarity, several thousand people for many hours fought riot police and soldiers. One demonstrator, 27-year old Kazimierz Michalczyk, was killed by a bullet. Street fights were a common sight not only in major urban centers, such as Warsaw, Kraków, Szczecin, Wrocław, Łódź , and Gdańsk, but also in provincial cities (Rzeszów
Rzeszów
Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, Koszalin
Koszalin
Koszalin ; is the largest city of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 12 km south of the Baltic Sea coast. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
, Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
, Przemyśl
Przemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
, Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
, Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
, Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the biggest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 125,149 inhabitants...
), and towns (Starachowice
Starachowice
Starachowice is a town in south-central Poland with 55,126 inhabitants . Starachowice is situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship ; it was formerly in the Kielce Voivodeship . It is the capital of Starachowice County...
, Lubin, Konin
Konin
Konin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...
). The magnitude of the demonstrations was confirmed by official sources, as on September 1, PAP informed that a day before, the police detained 4,050 people nationwide (589 in Warsaw, 645 in Wrocław, 201 in Szczecin, and 120 in Gorzów Wielkopolski). Among those arrested was Zbigniew Romaszewski
Zbigniew Romaszewski
Zbigniew Romaszewski is a Polish conservative politician, a Polish senator since 1989, and a human rights activist....
, a Solidarity activist and physicist of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
.
Besides Michalczyk, who was killed in Wrocław, other victims of police brutality were: 32-year old Piotr Sadowski from Gdańsk, Mieczyslaw Joniec from Nowa Huta, and Jacek Osmanski from Toruń. Additional victim was 35-year old Stanislaw Raczek, who was severely beaten during a protest in Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
, and died on September 7. In Kielce, where about 4000 people demonstrated in front of the Cathedral, riot police used tear gas and truncheons. In Koszalin, at the main market square, some 3000 people showed up, who were dispersed by the police. In northwestern city of Gorzów Wielkopolski, some 5000 people appeared in front of the cathedral. The demonstration turned into a riot, which lasted several hours, and in which 14 police vehicles were destroyed, 24 officers and 5 demonstrators were wounded, and 200 people detained.
Lubin events
Among towns and cities whose citizens joined the demonstrations was the southwestern copper-mining town of LubinLubin
Lubin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. From 1975–1998 it belonged to the former Legnica Voivodeship. Lubin is the administrative seat of Lubin County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Lubin, although it is not part of the territory of the latter,...
in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...
. The rally in the local Freedom Square began on August 31, at 3 pm A cross made of flowers was laid, and a small banner was raised. People sung the Polish national anthem, and than chanted: "down with the junta", "release those interned", "Jaruzelski is a traitor and murderer of the nation", "down with communism", "free Lech Wałęsa" etc. About 30 minutes later, the crowd of 2,000 was surrounded by 80-member unit of the riot police. In response, agitated protesters shouted: "pigs", "bandits", "Gestapo", "servants of Brezhnev". People unsuccessfully tried to erect a barricade. They were attacked and dispersed with tear gas.
At 4 pm, a platoon of riot police (ZOMO) from Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
appeared on Lubin streets and immediately attacked the protesters. The officers were armed with machine guns AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
, which they pointed towards the demonstrators. When the line of policemen reached the intersection of Kopernika and Odrodzenia streets, some of them opened fire. A few minutes later, two men, 26-year-old Mieczyslaw Pozniak and 32-year-old Andrzej Trajkowski, were mortally wounded.
The events of the late afternoon and evening hours are difficult to recount. It has been established that the police opened fire several times more, thus hitting 28-year-old Michal Adamowicz in the back of his head. He died on September 5. Before 5 pm, another ZOMO platoon came to Lubin (its members were armed with semi-automatic pistols P-83 Wanad
P-83 Wanad
The P-83 Wanad is a 9 mm Polish semi-automatic pistol, chambered for the 9x18mm Makarov cartridge and designed by Ryszard Chełmicki and Marian Gryszkiewicz of the state research institute Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy in Radom...
s), and local police commandant asked offices in Leszno
Leszno
Leszno is a town in central Poland with 63,955 inhabitants . Situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously the capital of the Leszno Voivodeship . The town has county status.-History:...
and Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties ....
to send more reinforcements. At about 5:30, the police changed their tactics. Instead of attacking large groups of demonstrators, the officers created the so-called raid groups, consisting of 6–7 officers, riding in Nysa
Nysa (van)
The Nysa van was produced in the town of Nysa, Poland, from 1958 until 1994. Contrary to the angular Żuk van, based on the same chassis parts, the Nysa had rounded body lines, especially the two-part rounded windshield, and was considered more comfortable and a better fit for carrying persons...
vans. They roamed the town, brutally attacking even single persons.
Meanwhile the demonstrators, upon finding out about deaths of their two colleagues, became more determined. More people joined the fighting, and riots lasted until 10:30 pm, when another ZOMO company from Zielona Góra, a platoon of soldiers from Krosno Odrzanskie
Krosno Odrzanskie
Krosno Odrzańskie is a city on the east bank of Oder River, at the confluence with the Bóbr. The town in Western Poland with 12,500 inhabitants is the capital of Krosno County...
, and three water cannons were brought to Lubin. Altogether, 1323 officers pacified the demonstration, and new street fights erupted in the town both on September 2 and 3. Altogether, on August 31 in Lubin, three demonstrators were killed, unknown number wounded (six of them were hit by bullets). Around 300 people were arrested.
Immediately after pacification of the town, security forces began destruction of evidence. In the night of August 31 – September 1, the streets were carefully cleaned, with all shells and bullets taken for analysis. On September 2, police authorities ordered repairs of damaged buildings – broken windows were replaced, and traces of bullets on the walls were covered with plaster. The investigation, despite consistent statements of witnesses of the massacre, was closed. In July 2007, commandant of Lubin police, Jan M., who pacified the demonstration, was sentenced to seven years.
See also
- Poznań 1956 protestsPoznan 1956 protestsThe Poznań 1956 protests, also known as Poznań 1956 uprising or Poznań June , were the first of several massive protests of the Polish people against the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland...
- Polish 1970 protestsPolish 1970 protestsThe Polish 1970 protests were protests that occurred in northern Poland in December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase of prices of food and other everyday items...
- June 1976 protestsJune 1976 protestsJune 1976 is the name of a series of protests and demonstrations in People's Republic of Poland. The protests took place after Prime Minister Piotr Jaroszewicz revealed the plan for a sudden increase in the price of many basic commodities, particularly foodstuffs...
- Lublin 1980 strikesLublin 1980 strikesThe Lublin 1980 strikes were the series of workers’ strikes in the area of the eastern city of Lublin , demanding better salaries and lower prices of food products. They began on July 8, 1980, at the State Aviation Works in Świdnik, a town located on the outskirts of Lublin...
- Jastrzebie-Zdroj 1980 strikesJastrzebie-Zdrój 1980 strikesThe Jastrzębie-Zdrój 1980 strikes were widespread strikes, which took place mostly in the Upper Silesian mining city of Jastrzębie-Zdrój and its surroundings, in late August and early September of 1980. They forced the Government of People's Republic of Poland to sign the last of three agreements...
- 1981 warning strike in Poland1981 warning strike in PolandIn the early spring of 1981, the quickly growing Solidarity movement faced one of the biggest challenges in its short history, when during the Bydgoszcz events, several members of Solidarity, including Jan Rulewski, Mariusz Łabentowicz and Roman Bartoszcze, were brutally "pacified" by the...
- 1988 Polish strikes1988 Polish strikesThe 1988 Polish strikes were a massive wave of workers' strikes which broke out in 1988 in the People’s Republic of Poland. The strikes, as well as street demonstrations, continued throughout spring and summer, ending in early September 1988. These actions shook the Communist regime of the country...
- History of SolidarityHistory of SolidarityThe history of Solidarity , a Polish non-governmental trade union, begins in August 1980, at the Lenin Shipyards at its founding by Lech Wałęsa and others. In the early 1980s, it became the first independent labor union in a Soviet-bloc country...
