Contents © Mark Carrot* 2013

In the aftermath of the WW II and Yalta agreement, the Soviet Union influenced establishing one-party ruling government in Poland, with a goal of controlling every aspect of society's activities. On August 31st 1980, the represantive of the socialist state's government signed an agreement with the striking commitee representing hundreds of factories, allowing to establish "Solidarność" - the Independent and Selfgoverning Trade Union "Solidarity". On December 13th 1981, with the imposition of Martial Law in Poland, the Union's rights were suspended and it was delegalized ten months later. For the next eight years the Union was operating in the underground, with support of the majority of Polish society.