December 1970 – Half a Century Later Cover Image

December 1970 – Half a Century Later
December 1970 – Half a Century Later

Current State of Research and New Perspectives

Author(s): Jerzy Eisler
Subject(s): History of ideas, Political history, Social history, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), History of Communism, Post-Communist Transformation
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu
Keywords: Gdańsk; Gdynia; Szczecin; Edward Gierek; Władysław Gomułka; December 1970; workers’ protests; street demonstrations; history of communism; history of historiography

Summary/Abstract: What is commonly referred to in Poland as ‘December 1970’ was one of the most important and most tragic moments in the history of this country after the Second World War. Then, a violent suppression of workers’ revolts in several Polish cities on the Baltic coast, by the Citizens’ Militia and the army, and the subsequent changes in the leadership of the Polish United Workers’ Party took place. After fourteen years in power, the First Secretary of the Central Committee, Władysław Gomułka, was replaced by the former member of the Politburo and also the First Secretary of the Voivodship Committee in Katowice, Edward Gierek. The military operations on the Polish coast, alongside the Citizens’ Militia, involved some 27,000 soldiers and 550 tanks, 750 armoured carriers and 2,100 cars. Also, 108 aircraft and helicopters, as well as 40 vessels of the Polish Navy were deployed. Apart from the period of martial law (1981–1983), never during peacetime has the Polish Army been put on standby on such a scale and used to such an extent to pacify the society. According to official data, a total of 45 people were killed and 1,165 wounded on the Baltic coast. Although over 80 books and brochures have already been published on ‘December 1970’, we still do not know the answers to all the questions. The role played by the Soviet authorities at that time has been researched the least. However, without free access to the post-Soviet archives stored in Russia, which seems hardly possible in the near future, it will be difficult to make new findings on this issue.

  • Issue Year: 85/2020
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 5-24
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: English