Thehistory of Solidarity, a Polishnon-governmentaltrade union, began in August 1980 at theLenin Shipyard inGdańsk where it was started byLech Wałęsa and his co-workers. In the early 1980s, it became the first independent labor union in aSoviet-bloc country. Solidarity gave rise to a broad anti-communist nonviolent social movement that, at its height, united some 10 million members and vastly contributed to thefall of communism.Poland's communist government attempted to destroy it by imposingmartial law in 1981, followed by several years of political repression, but it was ultimately forced to begin negotiating with the union.Round Table Talks between the weakened government and the Solidarity-led opposition resulted in asemi-free parliamentary election in 1989. By the end of August 1989, a Solidarity-led coalition government had been formed and, in December 1990, Wałęsawas electedpresident. This was soon followed by the dismantling of the communist governmental system and by Poland's transformation into a modern democratic state. Solidarity's example led to the spread of anti-communist ideas and movements throughout the countries of the Eastern Bloc, weakening their communist governments; a process known as theRevolutions of 1989, or the Autumn of Nations. (Full article...)
Małgorzata Babiarz (born 1984), also known by her stage nameMegitza, is a Polish singer,double bass player, and composer. She combines Polish and Eastern European folk music,Romani music andgypsy jazz withworld music,worldbeat,Latin American music,pop, andAmericana. Born inZakopane at the foot of theTatra Mountains, she was introduced to the traditional music of Polish Highlanders (górale) by her father, and began performing in a children folk dance ensemble. She moved toChicago in 2003 and started her professional career in 2008, when she formed the Megitza Quartet and released her debut album,Boleritza. The Sound Culture Center for Global Arts described Megitza as "a true concert revelation – an unusual voice, charisma and beauty", describing her music as "dynamic, vibrant, full of energy, uniting listeners of all ages." She performs mostly in the United States and in her native Poland. (Full article...)
Zielona Góra is a city in western Poland. Prior toWorld War II it was part of the German province ofBrandenburg and known asGrünberg; both Polish and German names mean "Green Mountain". Grünberg grew during the 19th century thanks to booming textile industry. Today it is the seat of the legislature (sejmik) of theLubusz Voivodeship. The surrounding area is one few places in Poland that are suitable for growing grapes. Wine has been produced locally since the 13th century and awine festival has taken place annually since 1852. The best known modern local wine is calledMonte Verde, which is the city's name in Latin. (Full article...)
... that in the aftermath of the unsuccessfulJanuary Uprising, Polish insurgentZygmunt Padlewski(pictured) was captured and executed by the Russian authorities?
Poland is a country inCentral Europe, bordered byGermany to the west, theCzech Republic to the southwest,Slovakia to the south,Ukraine andBelarus to the east,Lithuania to the northeast, and theBaltic Sea andRussia'sKaliningrad Oblast to the north. It is an ancient nation whose history as a statebegan near the middle of the 10th century. Itsgolden age occurred in the 16th century when it united with theGrand Duchy of Lithuania to form thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the following century, the strengthening of thegentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In aseries of agreements in the late 18th century,Russia,Prussia andAustria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. It regained independence as theSecond Polish Republic in the aftermath ofWorld War I only tolose it again when it was occupied byNazi Germany and theSoviet Union inWorld War II. The nation lost over six million citizens in the war, following which it emerged as the communistPolish People's Republic under strong Soviet influence within theEastern Bloc. Awestward border shift followed by forced population transfers after the war turned a once multiethnic country into a mostly homogeneous nation state. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union calledSolidarity (Solidarność) that over time became a political force which by 1990 had sweptparliamentary elections and thepresidency. Ashock therapy program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country completed, Poland joinedNATO in 1999 and theEuropean Union in 2004, but has experienced aconstitutional crisis anddemocratic backsliding since 2015.
