Poland Marks 30th Anniversary of Martial Law

Thirty years ago, on the morning of 13 December 1981, General Wojciech Jaruzelski announced the beginning of what became nearly two years of martial law rule in Poland.

Threatened by the growing Solidarity movement, with such leaders as Lech Walesa at the forefront, the Polish government decided to crack down on all apparent political opposition. The military patrolled the streets, a curfew was imposed, and telephone lines and postal services were closely monitored during these years. Thousands were imprisoned without trial and almost 100 people were killed.

Residents of Warsaw remembered the events of 1981 at a late night vigil in front of General Jaruzelski's current home in Warsaw. There were also historic re-enactments from the martial law era taking place across the city, as well as a concert on Plac Konstitucji.