SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

While we were in Gdansk we stayed at a nice

hotel near the shipyards.

It was here that in 1980, amidst the huge and

very industrial area, a group of shipyard

workers protested the working conditions under

the Communistic government. Today the dockyard

is not busy at all and actually is very idle.

In this building near the dockyards (see the idle crane)

was the office of Leck Walesa an electrician who led the strike and

also was the leader of the negotiations with the

government. He later became the first

freely elected president of Poland -also the

first labor man to be elected.

Her are other cranes on the water front.

The strike ended with negotiations with the

government and led to the beginning of the

Solidarity Movement and later opened the

way for the downfall of the Communist

Government here and in the surrounding

countries.

Nearby is this monument to the fallen shipyard

workers who lost their lives in the violent

strike against evil.

In 1970 there was a revolt against the rising cost

of food and a strike caused the government

to shoot people who were returning to work at the

ship yards. There were many killed and this

monument if for those killed then.

I think the tall memorial was for the strike leading to

the Solidarity Movement in 1980.

Notice the anchors on the obelisks.

This wall is nearby with plaques from different

organizations and countries.

A closer view of the wall.

Some small companies today have bought some of

the cranes, refurbished them

and use them for smaller shipping needs.

Another view of the shipyards today.

In Wroclaw last month we have seen signs and pictures

on the Rynek about "Solidarnosci" or the

remembrance of the beginning of the time to

stand together solidly against the government.