„Zima wasza” – życie codzienne w pierwszych miesiącach stanu wojennego na przykładzie Trójmiasta
“Winter yours” – everyday life in the first months of martial law on the example of Tri-City (Poland)

Summary/Abstract: In the morning of 13 December 1981 Poles were informed of the martial law declared on Poland by Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski. The move was accompanied by mass arrests of Solidarity leaders and political dissidents; and militia and army troops in tanks and armoured military vehicles appeared on the streets of every major city. The restrictions imposed on the country included, among others, curfew between 10 pm and 6 am; telephone lines were disconnected, and mail was subject to censorship. Streets were patrolled by soldiers, classes in schools and at universities were suspended, travel between towns required permission, and many other restrictions on civil liberties were imposed. Only two national-wide papers were issued, which in the Tri-City region were merged into one „tri-daily” published by the party comrades selected by the Voivodeship Committee of the party. All public administration, state services, mines, power plants and most of the key companies were placed under military management. All this, combined with an economic and political crisis of the state, had a dramatic impact on the everyday life of people, who rebelled against martial law by organising strikes and street demonstrations. The article describes the everyday struggle of people in the harsh reality during the first months after the introduction of martial law in Poland on the example of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot, which together make up the “Tri-City” (Trójmiasto) conurbation.

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