Solidarność i upadek komunizmu
Solidarity and the Fall of Communism
From the 1980 Gdańsk shipyard strike to the 1989 Round Table: how a 10-million-strong trade union survived martial law and triggered the collapse of communism across the bloc.
You will practice: Impersonal -no/-to forms (podpisano, przewidywano), the passive (została zdelegalizowana, został uruchomiony), and adverbial participles (obawiając się, stając się).
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- uciskoppression
- reżimregime
- upadekfall, collapse
- niezadowoleniediscontent, dissatisfaction
- strajkstrike
- stoczniashipyard
- robotnikworker, laborer
- żądaniedemand
- porozumienieagreement, accord
- władzapower, the authorities
- czołgtank
- represjerepression, reprisals
- opórresistance
- negocjacjenegotiations
- wyboryelections
- zwycięstwovictory
Did you get it?
6 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. Where was Solidarity born?
2. Where did the mass strike of August 1980 break out?
3. Who became the leader of the strike?
4. What happened on 13 December 1981?
5. What did the Round Table talks lead to in 1989?
6. What followed Solidarity's election success?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.