On December 18, 1979, at the gates of Gdańsk Shipyard, the largest “illegal” political manifestation took place during Edward Gierek's reign in Poland. A fewer 1000 men have arrived! It was only expected to be an anniversary gathering to commemorate the 1970 December Uprising. Thanks to the presence of wonderful people with national instinct and independency – the father of Bronisław Sroka SJ and Dariusz Kobzdej from the Young Poland Movement – she became a national demonstration.
December memory and announcement of August
On December 18, 1979, at the gates of Gdańsk Shipyard, the largest “illegal” political manifestation took place during Edward Gierek's reign in Poland. A fewer 1000 men have arrived! It was only expected to be an anniversary gathering to commemorate December Uprising 1970. Thanks to the presence of wonderful people with national instinct and independency – father Bronislaw Magpie SJ and Darius Kobzdej from the Young Poland Movement – it became a national demonstration. The safety Service recorded everything, present papers depicting this extraordinary event are located in the IPN.
The December 1970 Uprising did not bring political benefits to Poles in the country, due to the fact that there were no specified possibilities at the time. Even the “liberal” Gierek was only a typical of Moscow in 1 of its completely subordinate countries. His “liberalism” ended where the fear of the unfavorable Kremlin began. It was in Gierek's time that the most shameful provisions were introduced into the constitution of the Polish People's Republic: about the “directive function of the PZPR” and about relationship with the Soviets! Even banana republics didn't have specified serilistic records in their constitutions! Poland became a “constitutional” russian domain, with the regulation of the Prosovian organization guaranteed forever!
However, the memory of December did not let Poles to teardrop themselves apart, despite communist propaganda and security. In various ways, the anniversary of a bloody trial with the public was celebrated and it was demanded to punish the guilty death at the hands of militias and troops – especially in Gdynia, Gdańsk Szczecin.
Already during the Uprising of December, the communists conducted a pacification operation, which was repeatedly practiced in various countries, consisting of exchanging the ruling group, limited criticism of the erstwhile squad and creating appearances of large changes. Edward Gierek asked “the shipyards” (most of the gathered were partyers and secretaries!) a dramatic, directed question: “Will you help?” Many believed in his good intentions. A “right” image of what happened was besides taken care of. It was that the “right protest of the shipbuilders” was utilized by “hooligans and troublemakers” who “came to the hand” not only of the various “antisocial elements” but besides of the “German revisionists”! The main victims were to be militias, whose regional tv Gdańsk showed in hospitals. The most crucial facts and the number of victims were falsified and everything was called eufeministically "December Events".
This official, censored image of December aroused various reactions in the inhabitants of the Tricity: laughter, ridicule, anger. The more the “economic wonder” game broke down, based on abroad loans, the more the legend of Grudnia became established, around which the most crucial breakthrough in the past of PRL – August 1980 was born.
In the late 1970s, the memory of December took on organized forms. They appeared on 1 side of the structure Free Trade Unions (as the first to make them Kazimierz Świtoń in Silesia), from the second student movement (Student Solidarity Committees). In Gdańsk, under the monument of Jan III Sobieski, students from SKS and Tadeusz Szczudłowski, as a typical of the Human Rights and Citizens' defence Movement, they have held demonstrations on 3 May and independency Day since 1977. They were preceded by Masses in the intention of the Homeland, in the basilica of the NMP. WZZ activists, seeking their own identity, appealed to December, organizing anniversary meetings at Gate No. 2 of Gdańsk Shipyard (then Lenin).
These anniversaries were for Gdańsk safety a period of increased combat readiness. The main nonsubjective of the peculiar contravention organized by the communists was clear: to kill the memory of December, not to let a fistful of WZZ activists to embrace a government of souls over people who wanted the fact both in 1970 and Poland in general.
If you usage the SB language, it should be said that the last 1 before the large strikes of August “a party” of the Free Trade Unions The coast was an anniversary manifestation under Gate 2 of Gdańsk Shipyard.
Very early, due to the fact that already 6 weeks before this event, on the desk of the manager of the Office “B” of the Ministry of abroad Affairs in Warsaw, Colonel Krawczyk, there was a letter imprinted “secret”, signed by deputy commander of the Provincial MO for safety Service in Gdańsk, Colonel Jaworski. The letter states that anti-socialist elements in Gdańsk intend on 16 December “to give speeches on hostile content and to lay down wreaths and bundles of flowers”. Jaworski's concern is that "the organization is to be organized with large momentum". "For this reason, I ask the manager to delegate to the “B” Faculty of KW MO in Gdańsk 5 reflection sections consisting of experienced interviewers. They should be equipped with radio apparatus, photographic, police cars, operating locker area and money." The Warsaw comrades agreed to this request.
On 21 November, Jaworski approves the "Conceptual Action Plan" ("Secret, peculiar Meaning"). The plan aims to "restrict or prevent antisocial elements from organising a provocative event related to the anniversary of December events on the Coast". The comprehensive, 8-page plan consists of a diagnosis of the situation and a description of the planned "operational-prevention and repressive activities". “The acceptance of the final and unfettered preparation of the December manifestation may have negative political and social effects,” Jaworski writes.
In the repression section, it is proposed to harass WZZ activists and student activists, through searches in their apartments, yet to halt them 10 days before the planned demonstration. From this list of wishes SB eluded among others a young doctor Darius Kobzdej (*1954 †1995), who will then be the most active figure of the full manifestation, will give a speech and instruct the assembled people how they should behave.
On 25 November, Jaworski informed about preparations for the action of the 1st secretary of KW in Gdańsk Fiszbach, his secretaries from KW, the Kołodziejska Voivodeship and the directors of departments from the Warsaw MMA headquarters.
In this information Jaworski points out that in addition to WZZ activists, a priest from Gdynia may besides be the organizer of the demonstration. Priest Hilary Jastak (*1914 †2000) has been the origin of “great care” of safety for years. Kaszuba by birth, ordained during the war in Warsaw, participated in secret teaching and held pastoral care for young people from the Grey ranks. After the war he settled in Gdynia as parish priest of the NSPJ church (1949). He built sacral buildings without appropriate approval from the communist authorities, was a student pastoralist, collected information on the actual image of the December massacre in Gdynia. In short, he was a spiritual father of 3 generations of Gdynia, a man of large courage and certainty of action. At the end of his life he will become an honorary citizen of the city of Gdynia.
On 3 December, the Provincial Commandant, MO Andrzejewski, issued an order “to carry out operations in Gdańsk Voivodeship” and appoints a staff of operations. A fresh thread appears in the order. Now SB and militia are to fight not only "antisocial elements", but besides "criminal and hooligan". That was to be expected. In anticipation of the large manifestation and possible street speeches, Andrzejewski prepares the version of “choligans” in advance!
From all the documentation of the action “Tarcza” amazes with its item and momentum the extended “cutting Plan”, signed as “secret, peculiar meaning”. Many days before the harassment action of people who could possibly participate in the demonstration at Gate 2 of Gdańsk Shipyard, at their place of residence, it was determined in item who searched the flat Andrew the Star, Magdalena Modzelewska, Mirosław Rybicki, Tadeusz Szczudłowski, Nina Milewska and another people who will accompany him, what will be the driver's name and the registration number of the car. All you had to do was compose the date and time of departure on the day of the action!
From 16 December comes Jaworski's “confidential” information on the “security” of church services. They were attended by SB’s “interviewers” who study what the priests say about the 9th anniversary of December, recording their words frequently (Esbecs complained about mediocre quality recording equipment...). Fr. Henryk Pawlicki from the parish of the Holy Cross in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz, he said: “We must realise that 9 years ago, dozens of people close to us were murdered here, on the Coast. And here we meet present with the perverseness of the people who, branding the events of 9 years ago, issue warrants present for arrest and removal from the homes of all those who desire to honor the memory of the fallen."
The anniversary organization truly had – as the esbecs predicted – “great momentum”. Thanks to the package action, about 5 1000 people arrived at the gate of Gdańsk Shipyard! It was the largest anti-communist public manifestation of the 1970s in Poland. The course of the demonstration is known by the “work” of the esbeks in the smallest details. A “secret” agenda – a study for the head of SB in Gdańsk – re-enacts events with accuracy of 1 minute!
At 2:10 p.m. Dariusz Kobzdej began the speech. At 2:12, the Jesuit o. Bronislaw Magpie Inspired the national anthem, then God, something's Poland.. At 2.30 p.m., Magpie "started the sermon" (for the SB officer all public address of the priest was a "speak" ...). In fact, Father Magpie began prayers in the intention of the murdered in 1970, after which he infused Dear Mother. At 2:35 p.m. on behalf of the Free Trade Unions, Marilla Płońska, neighbour of Joanna and Andrzej Starów, to whom SB prevented participation in the manifestation. At 2.58, he spoke. Lech Wałęsa.
Thanks to Darius Kobzdej, a passionate independency activist, the gathering at Gate 2 turned into a general national manifestation. Dariusz said, among others: “To prevent December from repeating itself, so that people do not die on the streets of Polish cities, we must think present about how to prevent acts of despair. The best way to prevent social explosions is to self-organise society. We should all fight jointly for our rights, for our human and national dignity, participate in building social and political structures independent of the authorities, build authentic Polish life. We believe that this is the way that will lead us to a state where the free Polish nation will live in a free state, on its land!”
The view of the omnipotence of the safety forces of the communist state in the surveillance and control of people is widespread. The esbek documents, related to “the appearances of hostile elements in Gdańsk”, seem to confirm this. However, there is besides a modest "service note" in these papers by Capt. SB Banazak of December 14, 1979, which sheds light on another mechanism, determining this omnipotence. Note concerning Peter Dyk and Andrzej Słomiński – young doctors, co-founders and activists of the Student Solidarity Committee in Gdańsk and the Young Poland Movement. They worked at the Tczewski hospital. Banashak doesn't bother to halt them. He informs only the directors of the Faculty of wellness of the University of Warsaw in Gdańsk – Klimaszewski and Sikorski - that it is essential to act so that Dyk and Słomiński do not make it from Tczew to Gdańsk at 2.30 p.m. The action continues to make itself, without the participation of the SB, which has only been informed that "SB's position in the substance of doctors has been met with favourable treatment by wellness management"! “Covering” decided that on the day of the demonstration, on 18 December at 1.30 p.m., the manager of the Cuban infirmary would meet at coffee in his office with young doctors to “hear their pains”. The gathering cannot last little than an hr and a half! The discreet supervision of the action was exercised by the secretary of the PZPR City Committee, Comrade King. Before Andrzej Słomiński finds out about this, Captain Banazak will besides give an opinion on his fresh workplace – in Rudno village close Pelplin. "I think that taking a occupation by Słomiński in Rudno is justified – he will compose in the study – "A large distance from cities and quite a few work"...
It was not perfection in the operation of security, but the organization of the state, practically the only employer on whom all spheres of life depended, that determined the strength of communist security. The safety guards, if necessary, supported the multi-thousand informal “waters” of the SB, in the form of an army of nomenclature officials, directors and paid from the state budget of organization activists.
A year later, respective 100 1000 people attended the 10th anniversary of December (16 XII 1980) at the Shipyard! There was already “Solidarity”, the unveiling of the Monument of the Lost Shipyards, was a breeze of freedom. Not for everyone. On the orders of the communist authorities, the safety company organized a powerful, costly “secure” operation, where the “Tarcza” action was nothing. That's a different subject, though.
Piotr Szubarczyk
In the picture: Also in 1978, the year before the demonstration was described, the anniversary celebration took place at the gate of the 2nd Gdańsk Shipyard. However, she did not have as many participants as a year later. Reason known: in 1979 he arrived with his first pilgrimage to his homeland John Paul II And he poured courage into our hearts. We were no longer haughty “citizens” of peerel. We raised our heads.
