Poland in 1989

By Eleanor Thomas, Erica Carvalho and Anita Bainbridge

What was daily life like in a communist country?

Basic Daily LifeLife expectancies were dropping rapidly

Men exposed to pollutionDevelopmental disabilitiesLeukemia with children

Focus was on heavy industry and manufacturing at the expense of environmental concerns

Couldn’t shut down all of them, it would throw millions out of work.“the west wind blows in tons of toxic dust laden with heavy metals, sulphur, and nitrous oxide from Upper Silesia; when the east wind blows, the filth comes in even greater concentrations from Nowa Huta, the enormous steel complex in the eastern part of the city”

30% of Poland’s population lived in “disaster areas” that should be evacuated

All Polish newspapers were controlled by the government

Half of the Polish communities had no sewage treatment facilities

71% of drinking water samples were disqualified by the national public health authorities for reasons of hygiene

ChurchThe monthly “Masses for the Fatherland” that Father Popieluszko held drew crowds that overflowed into the streets.Church was an important part of daily life for the Polish, even though it was not allowed in communist countries.

Human Rights

¨The participating States will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought conscience, religion or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion¨

Each east European country promised to protect these rights and give freedom in their home country

This was not accepted by the Soviets, as they disregarded human rights within their own union and the eastern blocs

Strikes

The dissatisfaction of Polish workers turned into strikesGreat strikes and protests in 1956, 1970, and the largest in 19801980: Gdansk strike, resulted in Gdansk agreement Striking workers unite, Walesa becomes leader, forming the Solidarity

Solidarity

Founded in August 31st, 1980

Independent self-governing trade union

An underground organization

A form of communication between workers and

government (expression of needs)

Regular Apartments

Influence of the Church

How did people cope with the shortage of basic everyday goods?

• Upheavals in political, economic, social, and cultural conditions in the 1980s- buying such necessities as food, clothing, and hygiene products posed serious difficulties to consumers• Store shelves were frequently empty and

lines that took as long as several hours to navigate were common• Ongoing and severe shortages of

consumer goods. • the state distributed ration cards,

especially for meat products, in an effort to limit what each family could purchase.

• The two female shoppers purchase (with ration cards) this meat because that was the only product available

• The state was unable to meet its citizens' everyday needs.

• Hardships in maintaining adequate living standards

• Declining living standards and daily hardships throughout Eastern Europe in the 1980s contributed to the building resentment toward State Socialism- eventually leading to the collapse of the system.

Consumer Problems

This 1982 photograph, taken in a butcher shop in Poland's capital city of Warsaw, clearly conveys the problem of acquiring basic necessities, such as meat

In this 1982 photograph, a large crowd stands in front of a department store (Dom Mody) in the city of Wrocław in Western Poland- such lines were a daily sight in Soviet Bloc countries

What were some of the positive aspects of life behind the‘Iron Curtain?

Positive Aspects• Decline in infant mortality rates

• A country transitioning into ‘modern industrial

society’

• Managed to reduce infant mortality rates by 50%

• Televised debate between Alfred Miodowicz and Lech

Walesa

• Government was becoming more willing to compromise

with opposition groups

• 78% of the population saw this debate

• The solidarity movement looked increasingly legitimate

• June 1989, Poland held it’s first semi-free elections

since the Communist takeover

• In 1989, Poland elected Tadeusz Mazowiecki and

the first non-communist government in four

decades

• “(C) I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THAT MR. TADEUSZ

MAZOWIECKI, A LEADING MEMBER OF SOLIDARITY,

WAS TODAY CONFIRMED BY A VOTE OF THE POLISH

SEJM IN THE POSITION OF PRIME MINISTER OF POLAND

AND COMMISSIONED TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. I

BELIEVE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT CONSTITUTES

ESSENTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE POLITICAL TASKS

ASSIGNED TO ME IN MY CURRENT LETTER OF

INSTRUCTIONS AND AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS. DAVIS”

• US Embassy in Warsaw

• Communism was being dismantled piece by piece