Dr. Piotr Gontarczyk about the Round Table: maybe it would have been better if it hadn’t existed

If there hadn’t been Round Table talks, the system would have ended much faster, much more abruptly and there would be less of its negative effects

— says Dr. Piotr Gontarczyk from the Bureau of Historical Research of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance. 30 years ago, on February 6, 1989, the Round Table discussions began.

The Round Table talks began on 6 February 1989 in the Governor’s Palace, the then building of the Council of Ministers’ Office at Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw. It was attended by the ruling communists and a delegation of „Solidarity” selected by the authorities. Representatives of the Church were present as observers.

Dr. Piotr Gontarczyk reminded that the idea of talks with the authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland aroused much controversy in some circles of the opposition.

There were many activists who criticized this idea, such as Antoni Macierewicz or Bogdan Borusewicz, which is no longer remembered today

— he said.

The historian pointed out that the Round Table settlements brought obvious benefits to Poland”. As he mentioned:

As a result the political transformation began; under the Round Table agreement, only partially free elections were held; but also the first political changes were implemented and independent media appeared.

This in turn caused - as he explained - that „the political scene after 1989 was to a large extent formed by the beneficiaries of the Round Table, i.e. the circle of those who were sitting by it, such as Lech Wałęsa, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Adam Michnik and all those who spoke to the communists”.

The historian pointed out that as a result of the agreement, those who „held power in Poland completely illegally, committed crimes using force methods, gained the possibility of normal participation in the political system”.

Another „shortcoming” of the adopted agreements - as he mentioned - is the fact that at the beginning of the nineties many key system reforms were abandoned in the country.

In principle, in many ministries, e.g. in the law enforcement ministry or the judiciary, there was a full personal, structural and environmental continuation from the communist times. This is a certain system of pathology, which has been observed for many years already in the reborn Republic

— he emphasized and added that lack of vetting and decommunization was for many years a ball and chain for the state.

The problem is that if there hadn’t been +table+, it should be assumed that within a few months, to a year at the latest, everything would have collapsed

— said Gontarczyk.

The historian reminded that „Wojciech Jaruzelski, and his camarilla, had reports on their desks saying that in principle this is the absolute end of the system and in order to survive another year, two years, it would be necessary to lower the standard of living of citizens from 30% to 50%”. As he pointed out, this would provoke an absolute revolt in society, including the uniformed services rising up against the country authorities.

If there hadn’t been Round Table talks, the system would have ended much faster, much more abruptly and there would be less of its negative effects

— he stressed.

Tłum. K.J.