13 grudnia 1981

25 years ago today, martial law was imposed on Poland.

No-one who lived in Poland between 13 December 1981 and July 22 1983 will forget the imposition of martial law under General Jaruzelski.

Normal life was severely restricted, the independent trade union Solidarity was banned and its leader Lech Walesa was imprisoned.

Read personal stories: 1981: A 'sad Christmas' in Poland

I spoke with a Polish friend today and one of his memories was about aid packages coming to churches from western Europe.

He also said that this memory of Poland being under martial law divides Poles. Some say it was necessary to keep the Soviets, and possibly the Czechs, from sending their military in to control the country, which was undergoing strikes and protests at that time. People were standing up to increasing work quotas and empty stores. My friend said he saw a poll today that said 45% of Polish people now say martial law being imposed was the better option.

Don't know if that it is exactly fair to compare it to the poll I saw a year ago, but the one I came across then had more than half in that category. That was part of my post from last year: An Important Anniversary.