Broadcast of Wojciech Jaruzelski declaring martial law (December 13, 1981)

The period of martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983 when the government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life. The phrase in Polish is "Stan Wojenny", which translates literally as "state of war". The country remained at peace for the duration, however democratic movements (such as Solidarity) were banned and their leaders, including Lech Wałęsa, imprisoned. The institution of martial law is believed to be responsible for a number of deaths. Those responsible claim about a dozen fatalities, while a parliamentary commission from 1989-1991 arrived at a figure of more than 90 deaths[1]. Image File history File links Wojciech Jaruzelski. ... Image File history File links Wojciech Jaruzelski. ... Wojciech Jaruzelski in 2006 Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski (pronounced: ) (born July 6, 1923) was a communist Polish political and military leader, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985, head of the Polish Council of State from 1985 to 1989 and President from 1989 to 1990. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect (usually after a formal declaration) when a military authority takes control of the normal administration of justice. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Peoples Republic of Poland or Polish Peoples Republic (Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1989, during its period of rule by the Communist party, officially called the Polish United Workers Party (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, or PZPR). ... Peace and tranquility — Lake Mapourika, New Zealand. ... Solidarity (Polish: Solidarność; full name: Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity — Niezależny SamorzÄ…dny ZwiÄ…zek Zawodowy Solidarność) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980 at the GdaÅ„sk Shipyards, and originally led by Lech WaÅ‚Ä™sa. ... Office President of Poland Term of office from December 22, 1990 until December 23, 1995 Profession Electrician and shipyard worker Political party none, see Solidarity for details Spouse Danuta WaÅ‚Ä™sa Date of birth September 29, 1943 Place of birth Popowo, Poland Date of death Place of death Lech Wa...

Even after martial law was lifted, a number of restrictions remained in place for several years that drastically reduced the civil liberties of people living in Poland. Martial law also had severe economic consequences:the members of the government institued major price hikes (calling them economic reforms), as a result of these hikes, the income of the population fell in real terms by aprroximately 20%, with some estimates being much higher) [2].

After the downfall of Communism in Poland in 1989, members of a parliamentary commision determined that martial law had been imposed in clear violation of the country's constitution which had authorized the executive to declare martial law only between parliamentary sessions (at other times the decision was to be taken by the Sejm (parliament). However, the Sejm had been in session at the time when martial law was instituted. In 1992 the Sejm declared that the imposition of martial law in 1981 violated the law [3]. This article is about the lower chamber of Polish parliament. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in orange and red—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ...

ZOMO units in Poland (1981)

ZOMO units in Poland (1982)

Zomo Units (Poland 1981) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Zomo Units (Poland 1981) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ZOMO units in Poland (1981) Zmotoryzowane Odwody Milicji Obywatelskiej (ZOMO) (Motorized Reserves of the Citizens Militia), were paramilitary riot police formations during the Communist Era, in Peoples Republic of Poland. ... Zomo Units (Poland 1982) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Zomo Units (Poland 1982) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

See also

• Kopalnia Wujek (the Wujek Mine massacre)
• Military Council of National Salvation
• History of Poland (1945-1989)#The end of Communist rule (1980-1990)

Kopalnia Wujek (English: Mine Uncle) is a coal mine in Katowice, Poland. ... Military Council of National Salvation (Wojskowa Rada Ocalenia Narodowego) was a Military dictatorship quasi-government administering Poland during the martial law (1981-1983). ... The history of Poland from 1945 to 1989 spans the period of Soviet Communist dominance over the Peoples Republic of Poland in the decades following World War II. These years, while featuring many improvements in the standards of living in Poland, were marred by political instability, social unrest, and...

External links

• Jaruzelski declaring martial law (1)
• Jaruzelski declaring martial law (2)