Topic: Establishment of Solidarity. Martial law in Poland

Target group

8th‑grade students of an elementary school

Core curriculum

XL. Decade 1981‑1989. Student:

1. explains the reasons for the introduction of martial law, describes its course and consequences;

2. presents the attitudes of Poles towards martial law, the phenomenon of social resistance;

3. explains the reasons for concluding the „Round Table Agreement”, presents its main participants and describes the provisions.

General aim of education

The student will learn about the circumstances of Solidarity creation and the outbreak of martial law.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• why Solidarity was established, and what it was;

• what Solidarity demanded and what public support it had;

• when and why the Martial law was introduced;

• the consequences of the Martial law in Poland;

• what everyday life and resistance during the period of the Martial law were like.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. Discussing information presented on the timeline. The teacher then divides the class into groups - as many as there are events on the axis. Each team works on one assigned issue, deepening the information contained in the abstract. Then the students present their discussions.

3. Students analyze the illustration and execute Task 2, Task 3, Task 4 and Task 5. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

4. The teacher together with the students sums up the current course of classes.

5. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

Summary

1. The teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer?
   If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

2. The teacher asks a willing student to summarize the lesson from his point of view. He asks other students if they would like to add anything to their colleague's statements.

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Make at home a note from the lesson, for example using the sketchnoting method.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Establishment of Solidarity. Martial law in Poland

The living ‘on credit’ in the first years of Gierek’s rule quickly brought unpleasant consequences. The need to pay off the incurred debts led to another economic crisis and the introduction, in 1976, of the rationing of products and the first ration coupons. The late 1970s made this state of affairs even worse. Trying to save the finance system, prices were increased again, which triggered strikes. In the summer of 1980, the strikes affected mainly the region of the Baltic Coast. They led to the establishment of inter‑enterprise strike committees in August, which presented 21 demands addressed to the authorities. For the first time, the workers were supported by the intelligentsia, which resulted in the creation of the ‘Solidarity’ Independent Self‑governing Labor Union headed by Lech Wałęsa. He gained great popularity in the society, and 10 million Poles joined the union . The popularity of Solidarity among Poles instilled fear in the authorities, who were worried about the growing strength of the organization. The Polish ‘comrades’ were also pressured by Moscow, which demanded that the situation in the country be ‘eased’.

This happened on December 13, 1981, when the Martial law was introduced by a decree of the Polish Council of State. Thousands of soldiers and heavy equipment units appeared on the streets. The activities of all social and cultural organizations were suspended, schools were closed, press publications and artistic activities were blocked. There were arrests and internments of Solidarity activists and all those who could be a threat to the Military Council of National Salvation (headed by gen. Jaruzelski), which took power in the country. Prohibitions and restrictions did not discourage the public from resistance. Strikes broke out in many places, but were brutally suppressed (e.g. at the Wujek Coal Mine). On important anniversaries, demonstrations of many thousand people took place on city streets. Freedom and the release of political prisoners were demanded. Samizdat produced thousands of leaflets and magazines. The society was supported also by the Catholic Church, also some priests who sympathized with Solidarity celebrated Masses for the homeland. Western countries imposed sanctions on Poland, which further deepened the economic crisis.

The Martial law officially ended in July 1983. However, the crisis in the country continued for years to come. Neither were the repressions against Solidarity activists ceased. Many of them were still imprisoned or hiding from the authorities. In 1984, as a counterbalance to Solidarity (which was made illegal in 1982), government trade unions were established (All‑Poland Alliance of Trade Unions, or OPZZ), which did not gain much support from the society. In September 1986, the freed Lech Wałęsa set up the Provisional Council of the ‘Solidarity’ Independent Self‑governing Labor Union, which started to function overtly, but still illegally. This was the first sign of the changes that were to take place in the following years.