A file containing documents concerning civil unrest in Poland in December 1970, which led to the overthrow of the president, Władysław Gomułka. Subjects covered in the file include food shortages; major economic problems requiring reforms that Gomułka refused to contemplate; the "ten-day crisis" of strikes and riots in Gdańsk and other northern towns; the collapse of Gomułka's health; and the installation of Edward Gierek as president and Piotr Jaroszewicz as prime minister. Other subjects discussed in the file include the resignation of Ignacy Loga-Sowiński as chairman of the Polish Trade Union Council; the role of the Roman Catholic Church and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński; renewed strikes at Szczecin early in 1971; and reports of a plot against Gomułka led by Gierek and Mieczysław Moczar, which was carried out when Gomułka introduced drastic price increases. Documents in the file include reports on the situation from the British ambassador in Warsaw, Nicholas Henderson.
- Collection ID
- FCO28
- Copyright
- Content from Neue Zürcher Zeitung © Neue Zürcher Zeitung.; Content from Trybuna Ludu © Polska Agencja Prasowa SA.; Content from Department of Defense Intelligence Information Report was created by the U.S. Department of Defense and has been reproduced in accordance with copyright law exceptions applying to government material. Content from Neue Zürcher Zeitung © Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Content from Trybuna Ludu © Polska Agencja Prasowa SA. Content from Department of Defense Intelligence Information Report was created by the U.S. Department of Defense and has been reproduced in accordance with copyright law exceptions applying to government material.
- Department Reference
- ENP 1/1 PART A
- Document Type
- Correspondence Press and Media Reports
- File Reference
- FCO 28/1425
- Identifier
- 10.1080/cwee.fco28.001425
- Key Events
- Polish protests of December 1970
- Note
- The following items have been removed from this file due to copyright restrictions: G?os Szczeci?ski, 13 January 1971, Biographies: Eugeniusz Olubek; G?os Wybrze?a, 16-17 January 1971, Readers ask, editors answer; G?os Wybrze?a, 28 December 1970, Gdansk-Gdynia-Elblag: picture of events; The Economist, 02 January 1971, Which people's paradise?; The World Today, 20 January 1971, Poland: a month after the Riots; Trybuna Ludu, 28 January 1971, Comrade S. Olszowski Meets Youth Organisations' Activists; Trybuna Ludu, 28 January 1971, Report on Comrade W. Gomulka's state of health; Trybuna Robotnicza, 27 January 1971, Towards the Present Day - in the Face of History; ?ycie Warszawy, 31 January 1971, Week-day in Szczecin.
- Pages
- 167
- Persons Discussed
- Józef Cyrankiewicz Edward Gierek Władysław Gomułka Nicholas Henderson Piotr Jaroszewicz Mieczysław Moczar Adam Rapacki Stefan Władysław
- Published in
- United Kingdom
- Subject Countries
- Poland
- Themes
- Dissent, Resistance, and Human Rights Domestic Politics
