"For dozens of thousands of Poles 13 December 1981 meant lawless arrest an also death on the streets of Polish cities"

Press conference of the President of the Institute of National Remembrance on the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the introduction of Martial Law in Poland – 10 December 2021.

„For dozens of thousands of Poles 13 December 1981 meant lawless arrest an also death on the streets of Polish cities”

— said the IPN Deputy President, Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D. during the press conference in Warsaw.

On Monday next week, we’ll be commemorating in Poland the 40th anniversary of the Martial Law, which hurt many people and robbed millions of Poles of the hope to live in a free, independent country

— said Karol Nawrocki.

The decisions of the communist junta, or, as the court ruled in 2012, of an „organized criminal group” composed of communists”, broke the hopes of Poles for living in a free, normal homeland

— emphasized the President of the Institute of National Remembrance.

At the meeting with the media, Dr. Nawrocki presented the events prepared by the Institute in connection with the 40th anniversary of the introduction of Martial Law in Poland.

It is over 140 events all over Poland. These are 21 vernissages and exhibition presentations. It is 11 concerts, 13 debates, 11 scientific conferences, but also competitions, seminars, lessons and city games. Our offer is directed, on the one hand, to those who are interested in history, who are still researching such a recent history as the 1980s. We are starting on 12 December, next Sunday with a debate on the unsettled or settled (…) Martial Law

— said Karol Nawrocki.

He also announced the scientific conference „Obrachunek z dekadą Jaruzelskiego, czyli jak dziś oceniamy ostatnie lata PRL (1981–1989). Przyczynek do bilansu historii politycznej”[Settlements with Jaruzelski’s decade, or how we evaluate the last years of the People’s Republic of Poland today (1981–1989). A contribution to the balance of political history”, organized by the Historical Research Office of the IPN, Warsaw branch and the new project of the IPN Archive „Interned under Martial Law”.

Source: IPN