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Rise of Poland’s Solidarity was milestone in world history: US historian

31.08.2020 10:55
The rise of the Solidarity movement in Poland four decades ago was a milestone in modern history, American historian Timothy Snyder has said.
Timothy Snyder
Timothy SnyderPAP/Marcin Obara

The birth of Solidarity was “one of the most important events in the history of Poland and the world at the end of the 20th century,” Snyder, a professor of history at Yale University, said in a newly published article.

“It became a moment that changed the essence of the Leninist system. Before that, the communist party functioning in this system had a monopoly on power. This changed when Solidarity was founded,” he added.

“It was then that a generation of activists took form, who later sat down to negotiate at the Round Table, and then played a key role in democratic Poland,” Snyder also said, as quoted on the solidarnosc40.pl website.

His article appeared as events are being held in Poland and beyond to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Solidarity and the signing of Poland’s milestone 1980 August Agreements.

In a message to mark the anniversary, Polish President Andrzej Duda said last week that “August 1980 was the foundation of a free Poland” and "a historic breakthrough that gave rise to momentous changes which transformed Europe and the world."

He added that the Solidarity freedom movement in Poland at the time became an inspiration for other nations and helped bring about the fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe.

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Source: PAP, solidarnosc40.pl