The event at AAN was attended by representatives from the Association for Freedom of Speech, the Katowice-based Association of Political Prisoners of the Martial Law Period, the Signa Temporum Foundation in Warsaw, the Association of Interned and Repressed Women in Kielce and the Association of Interned and Repressed Women in Kielce. , Imprisoned and Repressed Women in Warsaw. Among those invited were: “Solidarity” activists and political prisoners of the People’s Republic of Poland: participants and leaders of the strike at the Wujek mine Stanisław Płatek, Jacek Juzwa, Krzysztof Bińkowski, Janusz Olewiński, Roman Bielański, Edward Kędziorski, Jerzy Kaniewski and Alina Cybula-Borowińska.

“There can be no better tribute to the heroes of +Solidarity+ and the victims of martial law than to constantly remind of the dark truth about the Polish People’s Republic and show the courage of those who did not agree to live under Soviet rule. Celebrations like today at AAN serve this purpose. Of the resources, the archive can be used by historians, researchers and journalists. Today, the collection is enriched with further memorabilia, which is a testimony of the struggle of Polish patriots against communist slavery,” wrote Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in a letter to event participants. “By discovering valuable testimonies, we can learn the truth about those who have “successful in making a breakthrough and our homeland regained independence. We thank them for their sacrifice and love for Poland. By paying tribute to them, we look to the future with hope,” added the head of government.

Zofia Romaszewska, representing the President of the Republic of Poland, appealed to trade unionists and anti-communist opposition activists to donate their memorabilia from the People’s Republic of Poland to AAN. The important thing is leaflets, our notes, letters. “We have to do it, this is very important for future generations,” he stressed. In 2014, Zbigniew and Zofia Romaszewski’s archives were added to AAN resources.

During the event, two former prisoners of the prison in Hrubieszów – Edward Kędziorski and Andrzej Krasuski donated their archival materials to AAN resources. “These are our personal notes, postcards, Solidarity stamps from when we were in Hrubieszów. It was a harsh prison. Despite this, we felt that the communists had imprisoned us, but they had not succeeded in destroying and subduing us. We sat in a cell, but internally we felt free,” Edward Kędziorski told PAP. “I got a three-year sentence, I was released in August 1983. My colleagues who got sentences of more than four years were only released after the second amnesty in 1983. 1984.” – said the donor AAN.

Stanisław Płatek was born on 5 February 1951 in Katowice. He graduated from the Mining Technical High School for Workers in Katowice. Since 1973, he has been a miner at KWK Wujek in Katowice. On December 13-16, 1981, he took part in a strike at the Wujek Coal Mine; he was injured while securing the mine by ZOMO troops. On 19 February 1982, by decision of the Silesian Military District Court in Wrocław, he was sentenced to four years in prison, imprisoned in Zabrze, and then in Wrocław. He was released in February 1983. Since 2000, he has been chairman of the Board of the National Association of Political Prisoners during Martial Law. In 2007, he was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

Krzysztof Bińkowski was born on 5 July 1958. Since 1980, he has been a member of NSZZ “Solidarność” in Radom. In July 1981, he co-founded the Radom structure of the Committee for the Defense of Those Imprisoned for Their Faith and the Confederation of Independent Poland. He is a distributor of KPN magazine. On December 14, 1981, he tried to organize a protest action at the RZPS “Radoskor”, he was detained, then arrested and sentenced. Since December 1982, he has been involved in the printing and distribution of underground publications.

Zofia Romaszewska, representing the President of the Republic of Poland, appealed to trade unionists and anti-communist opposition activists to donate their memorabilia from the days of the Polish People’s Republic to AAN. The important thing is leaflets, our notes, letters. “We have to do it, this is very important for future generations,” he stressed. In 2014, Zbigniew and Zofia Romaszewski’s archives were added to AAN resources.

Roman Bielański was born on 17 July 1947. Since 1980, he has been active in the structure of NSZZ “Solidarność” at the Zakłady Mechaniczne “Ursus” in Warsaw. From April to November 1982, as part of the Inter-Company Workers’ Solidarity Committee, he was involved in the publication and distribution of underground publications as well as organizing protests and strikes in Warsaw. On 4 November 1982, he was arrested by the Security Service and imprisoned in the Warsaw-Mokotów Detention Center, and then in Hrubieszów Prison, where he remained until 18 August 1983.

Jacek Juzwa was born on June 8, 1956. In 1977-1980 he was a distributor of the independent magazines “Robotnik”, “Biuletyn Informacyjny” KSS KOR and publications of the NOWA publishing house. Until 1989, he was the organizer of the wholesale distribution network of underground publications. He is a member of the leadership of the Solidarity Resistance Group. He is currently president of the Free Speech Association.

Jerzy Kaniewski was born on July 4, 1948. He graduated from Warsaw University of Technology. In 1977-1982 he worked at Zakłady Mechaniczne Ursus. On December 14-15, 1981, he took part in the strike. Arrested by the Security Service on December 15. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by the Provincial Court in Warsaw. Released on September 14, 1983. He was detained, interrogated, searched and dismissed from his job.

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Edward Kędziorski was born on November 28, 1960. Since January 1981, he has been an activist of the NSZZ “Solidarność” at the Automotive Equipment Factory “POLMO” in Praszka. After the imposition of martial law, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison, during which he served in Prisons in Łęczyca and Hrubieszów. As a sign of protest against the imposition of martial law, he refused to eat every 13th of the month. He was released on 3 August 1983 under amnesty.

Janusz Olewiński was born on September 13, 1953. In 1980-1981 he was an activist of NSZZ “Solidarność” in Siedlce. On December 16, 1981, he was arrested by the Security Service. He was interned, and in 1982 he was imprisoned in prisons in Biała Podlaska, Włodawa, Lublin and Kwidzyn. In August 1982, he participated in the internment uprising in Kwidzyn. During his repression by the ZOMO subunit and the prison service, he was severely beaten. He went on a hunger strike protest. After being released from internment, he returned to Siedlce, where he started operating in the underground structure of NSZZ “Solidarność”.

Alina Cybula-Borowińska was born on February 2, 1949. Since 1976, she has been a distributor of KOR/KSS KOR and ROPCiO publications. In December 1981, he participated in a strike at ZWUT. On May 8, 1982, he was interned and held in Isolation Centers in Warsaw-Grochów and Gołdap. Released, then interned again and detained at the Center in Darłówko. Currently, president of the Association of Interned and Repressed Women.

After the introduction of martial law, the penitentiary in Hrubieszów, especially ward IV, became a place of detention for around 150 political prisoners. (PAP)

Author: Maciej Replewicz

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