“School teaching about martial law will show the truth. On 13 December 1981 there was a national betrayal, it was an attack by Jaruzelski and his communist cronies on the Polish nation and this is quite obvious. What happened afterwards as a result of the introduction of martial law, the persecutions, the killings, the massacre at the Wujek mine, as well as in our economy and the development of the nation, has been dragging on for us to this day, we are paying for it”, said Minister of Education and Science Przemysław Czarnek.

According to Minister Czarnek, “someone who attacks the Polish nation with tanks is a traitor, will never be a hero, and these are historical facts that need to be passed on to the youngest Poles”.

Martial law was imposed in Poland 41 years ago, on the night of 12-13 December 1981. The so-called Military Council of National Salvation, led by General Wojciech Jaruzelski, took power in the country.

Strikes and assemblies were banned, the functioning of trade unions and most social organisations was suspended, most areas of the national economy were militarised.

The media were also brought under control. A complete information blockade was introduced. Radio and television buildings were taken over by the military, and presenters of news programmes appeared in military uniforms.

For some, the aim of martial law was to crush the multi-million-strong Solidarity movement. Years later, representatives of the regime of the time explained that their aim was to protect Poland from Russian invasion. However, the military coup cost the lives of dozens of Poles.

Minister Czarnek recalled that many people were forced to emigrate at that time, and this must also be taught to the youngest compatriots, because, as the Minister of Education and Science stressed, “justifying” martial law and saying that it was saving Poland from Soviet aggression is a lie propagated by communists, whose descendants can still be found in various Polish-language media or in parliament.”

Adrian Andrzejewski