Episode 15: Protesting in Poland

Audio Link

Welcome to Stories of Communism, the podcast where we review and discuss the firsthand testimony of those who lived through the horrors of Communism over the past century.   This is Erik Seligman, your co-host, along with Manuel Castaneda, recording from the suburbs of Portland, Oregon.

Today we have another great interview episode.    Manuel and I will be chatting with Wojtek Lisicki, who was one of the local leaders in the Polish Solidarity movement back in 1980-81, before being forced to flee the country in the face of a military crackdown.   As you may recall, Solidarity was one of the most famous anti-Communist popular uprisings of the Cold War.   It was actually the first trade union in the Warsaw Pact not controlled by the government.    After the government declared martial law in 1981, the union was suppressed for several years, but re-emerged during the Gorbachev era to play a key role in Poland’s transition to freedom.

Anyway, let’s listen to the interview.   


I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as we did— it’s amazing to hear about a critical event in history from someone like Wojtek, who was there in the thick of it as it happened.

By the way, if you have been enjoying this podcast, we could really use your help spreading the word.   Please consider liking our Facebook page, sharing it with your friends, and posting a positive review on Apple Podcasts.    You can find links to these things at http://storiesofcommunism.com .    

And this has been your Story of Communism for today.



References:

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_(Polish_trade_union)