A timeline of important events and the life of Lech Walesa.
Created by afinn on Apr 17, 2009
Last updated: 11/03/09 at 06:24 AM
Lech Walesa has no followers yet. Be the first one to follow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4NcQ_tyQKI Poland has come far from it's days of economic collapse, but now the economy has strengthened. The country recently joined the European Union and joined NATO as well.
Lech Walesa is elected second president of the people's republic of Poland
The collapse of the Soviet Union.
Leader of Soviet Union and 1st President of Soviet Union.
Lech Walesa is released from the internment camp he was held in for about a year.
Solidarity buildings were seized and officials placed under arrest. This marked the end of the 500 day reign of solidarity, however the movement was still strong underground. Also day Martial Law was instigated by soviets.
First Solidarity National congress in Gdansk
Gdansk Agreement was signed to end nation wide worker strike in Poland that had been led by Lech Walesa. It promised limited censorship, right to strike or assemble, and most importantly the right to assemble independent trade unions and many other things. Solidarity became the first independent trade union formed.
Attempt to assasinate Pope John Paul the second, originally Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Cracow, Poland. He was a huge supported of Walesa.
This was the first day of the ship yard worker protest and the first true solidarity strike. Some of the original goals were to reinstate Lech and a coworker, immunity for the strikers, and a monument for the December Massacre. This strike eventually went nationwide in factories and other shipyards. This map depicts Poland, including the Baltic sea city of Gdnask where the strike started. There were also uprisings in Radom and Ursur. The map also shows how Poland was bordered by Germany and the USSR making it a prime target for takeover during the second world war.
The coronation of a Polish pope brought new hope for the polish people. The Catholic church was open for social reforms and protection of human rights.
Dec 15: Lech led 3,000 Shipyard workers to storm police headquarters to release prisoners; this led to a call of a state of emergency Dec 16 and 17: Lenin Shipyard workers were machined gunned down on their way to work and in the yard, hundreds more were arrested and sent to prison.
Leader of Soviet Russia
Leader of Soviet Russia
New leadership emerges under Wladyslaw Gomulk as a member of the Polish United Workers Party. There was a hope that this regime would make life better for the Poles due to rising food prices, and constant low wages.
Leader of Soviet Russia
With Yalta conference and signing of treaty, World War II officially ends.
Lech Walesa was born Popowo, Poland.
First communist dictator of Soviet Russia
Soviets attack Poland's East border while German's take West.
The Nazi invasion of Poland violated the Anglo-Polish agreement. France and Britain declare war on Germany
The Nazi army invades Poland
A non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviets. It also split up Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influences, and divided Poland between the two powers.
Agreement bu French and British to secure Poland's borders.
Update Sources