On December 13, 1981, communist-era strongman Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski imposed martial law to stifle rising opposition, headed by the Solidarity movement.
It was the start of a dark chapter in modern Polish history that saw thousands of opposition activists jailed and dozens killed.
In a ceremony at a Warsaw museum in the morning, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki paid tribute to communist-era political prisoners and post-World War II resistance fighters who suffered brutal repression at the hands of Poland's former communist authorities.
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki pays tribute to communist-era political prisoners and post-World War II resistance fighters during a ceremony in Warsaw on Tuesday. Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
He said during the remembrance ceremony that "the memory of the victims of the martial law crackdown ... is important not only for our past, but also the present day."
Morawiecki added that "more than 100 people were murdered" during the martial law period, while "tens of thousands were detained, interned, beaten and humiliated" at the time.
Mateusz Morawiecki speaks during a remembrance ceremony at the former Rakowiecka Prison in the Polish capital. Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
Tributes to victims of communist oppression
Religious services and a host of other tributes were held throughout the day at various sites to honour the victims of the communist-era crackdown.
One of the tributes was for Grzegorz Przemyk, a high school student who was beaten to death by Poland's communist-era police in May 1983.
'Light of Freedom'
In a closing tribute, many Poles lit candles in the windows of their homes in a symbolic gesture to commemorate the victims of communist oppression, news outlets reported.
The nationwide "Light of Freedom" tribute, attended by President Andrzej Duda, was held at Piłsudski Square in central Warsaw at 7:30 p.m.
In a short speech, Duda said that the ceremony aimed to honour "those who in December 1981 challenged the criminal communist regime and opposed the enslavement of the nation."
He added that "many of them paid with their lives for this courage, steadfastness and determination in the fight for a free Poland."
Earlier in the day, Poland’s lawmakers observed a minute's silence to pay respects to the victims of the 1981 crackdown, and the head of the state-run Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), Karol Nawrocki, handed out state decorations to former anti-communist opposition activists on behalf of the Polish president.
The lower house of Poland's parliament, the Sejm, in session on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell
According to a parliamentary report compiled in the early 1990s, more than 90 people were killed during martial law, which lasted formally until July 22, 1983.
Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
On the night of December 13, 1981, more than 6,500 opposition activists were arrested and interned.
During martial law Poland’s communist regime suspended political and workers’ organisations and introduced a curfew.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, ipn.gov.pl, polskieradio.pl
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Piotr Miszczuk.