Obraz 40. rocznicy powstania ludowego Wojska Polskiego na łamach Żołnierza Wolności
The Representation of the 40th Anniversary of the Polish People’s Army in Żołnierz Wolności

Summary/Abstract: In communist doctrine, the Polish People’s Army functioned as an “instrument for safeguarding the socialist system” in Poland. This article analyses the preparations for, and the character of, the central ceremonies marking the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Polish People’s Army (12 October 1983). It is based on a content analysis of the military newspaper Żołnierz Wolności, which makes it possible to capture the propagandistic dimension of the anniversary celebrations. The commemorations took place in the year in which martial law in Poland was lifted and therefore unfolded within a specific socio-political context characterised by an air of solemnity. The relationship between the army and society was emphasised through the organisation of academic symposia, the inauguration of the construction of two monuments, and the publication of veterans’ memoirs. Important initiatives included soldiers’ social actions and “Intergenerational meetings”. A socalled ‘Friendship Train’ departed for Moscow. The central anniversary ceremonies were held at the Grand Theatre in Warsaw, with the participation of leading representatives of the Eastern Bloc countries. Military units held concerts, evening gatherings, and commemorative events for fallen soldiers. Propaganda narratives emphasised that the Polish People’s Army (ludowe Wojsko Polskie, lWP) emerged stronger from the period of martial law.

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