Published: 2022-07-011

“Some Reflections on the Book Entitled The Crisis of December 1970 in the Light of the Documents and Materials Compiled by Władysław Kruczek’s Committee and the Testimonies of the Members of the State Apparatus”, edited by Marek Jabłonowski, Włodzimierz J

Witold Gieszczyński
Echa Przeszłości
Section: REVIEW ARTICLES
https://doi.org/10.31648/ep.7951

Abstract

The article analyzes the protests staged by Polish workers in December 1970 and their consequences. The author reflects on these events based on the book entitled The Crisis of December 1970 in the Light of the Documents and Materials Compiled by Władysław Kruczek’s Committee and the Testimonies of the Members of the State Apparatus, published on the fiftieth anniversary of the workers’ revolt. The protests were brutally put down by armed soldiers and the militia, and 45 workers were killed and 1165 were injured. These events were accompanied by a struggle for political power in communist Poland. A special committee headed by Władysław Kruczek was called into existence to investigate the events of December 1970 and the causes of the protests. The committee was active between March and November 1971. In its final report, the committee charged former communist leaders, Władysław Gomułka and Zenon Kliszko, with political responsibility for the crisis and the use of firearms against the protesters.

Keywords:

communism in Poland, worker protests and strikes, December 1970

Download files

Citation rules

Gieszczyński, W. (2022). “Some Reflections on the Book Entitled The Crisis of December 1970 in the Light of the Documents and Materials Compiled by Władysław Kruczek’s Committee and the Testimonies of the Members of the State Apparatus”, edited by Marek Jabłonowski, Włodzimierz J. Echa Przeszłości, (XXIII/1), 260–269. https://doi.org/10.31648/ep.7951

Cited by / Share

This website uses cookies for proper operation, in order to use the portal fully you must accept cookies.