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Gdansk, 30 January 2001
Lech Walesa
To the
Solidarity People
Colleagues and Friends,
Twenty years ago the eyes of the world turned
on Poland. Millions of Poles heard the words
of the Holy Father, managed to overcome their
fear and stood up for their freedom and dignity.
The first independent trade union in the communist
block was created, under the very significant
name of "Solidarity". Without war,
bloodshed and tears of the mothers. What happened
was not only beyond the logic of the political
system and the world's political establishment
of that time, but also unthinkable for an ordinary
man.
In metropolitan areas and small villages, in
industrial giant enterprises and in small factories,
at universities and in hospitals, in theatres
and co-operatives, the workers began to create
groups supporting and helping those on strike.
Within few weeks they transformed into temporary
local committees of an independent, self-governing
trade union. In consequence, within a few months
there emerged an organization associating 10
million citizens - workers and farmers, intellectuals
and clerks, physicians and workers of the State
Farms, artists and craftsmen. In no other country
and never in such a short time has such a numerous
and well integrated social organization been
created in opposition to the existing national
and global system, which from the moment of
its birth managed to achieve so much.
At that time being a member of NSZZ "Solidarnosc"
took heroism and courage. That decision was
not taken individually, but by families, as
its consequences affected whole families and
profession groups, as everyone was aware that
sooner or later one would have to pay for those
decisions - even with freedom, blood and life.
The mass character of the movement and its strong
social foundations shook the communist system
around the world. They forced changes in the
Soviet, Polish and other communist parties.
The martial law decimated the members of "Solidarnosc".
Not everyone managed to face the brutal circumstances
in which we were forced to work. Nevertheless,
there was enough of us remained for the final
victory to be ours. Victory which brought freedom
and independence not only for Poland, but also
for many other countries and nations of the
world. Victory which changed the economic, ideological,
religious, political and national map of half
of the globe. Walls fell, frontiers broadened,
new countries appeared.
Today's historiography presents the communists
as authors of the historical changes. The world
is to believe that the changes in Poland were
initiated and implemented by Jagielski, Jaruzelski,
Kiszczak and Rakowski, and sanctioned by Gorbatchev.
And only somewhere on the margin several dozen
names from "Solidarnosc" are mentioned.
It is an outrageous abuse.
The real hero of the historical changes was
a common member of "Solidarnosc",
working away from the center of the scene of
political events. It was his support that I
felt during the negotiations in the BHP Room
of the Gdañsk Shipyard, during detention
in Arlamov, and at the "Round Table Negotiations".
Without him there would have been no NSZZ "Solidarnosc",
no victory and no freedom. The time has come
to give a name to this crowd of heroes which
remains nameless. Children must know the truth
about their fathers. The Polish nation has the
right to know to whom it owes its freedom and
independence.
We are perhaps the only nation in the today's
world which should honor several million of
its citizens. This is the reason why I would
like to propose the elaboration, publication
and dissemination of a multi-volume publication
entitled "ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FREEDOM",
which would possibly mention every member of
NSZZ "Solidarnosc", NSZZ "Solidarnosc"
Rolnikow Indywidualnych, NSZZ Indywidualnego
Rzemios³a "Solidarnosc" and of
the Independent Union of Students (NSZ), who
joined those organizations in the period of
time between August 1980 and March 1989, as
well as persons who did not belong to those
organizations formally, but were active in the
"Solidarity" movement.
The world should know the names of those who
participated in the struggle for freedom, as
there is much it owes to them.
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