Communist Poland – Transition to Democracy Maciej St. Zięba Oct. 20, 2014

Key figures President Lech Wałęsa Pope John Paul II Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the first free Prime Minister ( )

Milestones of transition - 1 Oct 16, 1978 – Karol Wojtyła becomes the Pope Jan, 1979 – ‘Winter of the Century’ June 2-10, 1979 – Pope JP II 1st visit to Poland July-Aug – social unrests: Świdnik/Lublin – Gdańsk – Szczecin – Jastrzębia Góra (Silesia) August 31, 1980 – Gdańsk Agreements, creation of the Solidarity Free Independent Trade Unions Dec. 13, 1981 – July 22, 1983 – Martial Law Feb. 6 to Apr. 5, 1989 – Round Table Talks June 4, 1989 – Contract elections

Milestones of transition - 2 Aug. 24, 1989 – Tadeusz Mazowiecki – Prime Minister „Wasz prezydent, nasz premier” Dec. 29, change of the name of the country – Republic of Poland instead of Polish People’s Republic (since July 22, 1952) Dec. 22, 1992 – Lech Wałęsa – the first free elected President Oct. 17, 1992 – ‘The Small Constitution’ Apr. 2, ‘The Constitution of the Republic of Poland’ – the Third Republic May 12, 1999 – Accession to NATO May 1, 2004 – Accession to the EU

Key areas of transformation Full independence –liberation from the Comecon and Warsaw Pact –accession to the EU and NATO Political transformation –freedom of conscience and expression –free elections / many parties system –rule of law instead of Marxist „battle of classes” Economic transformation –free market economy and private property Social and mental transformation

Present Polish Political Scene

Key persons The President, Bronisław Komorowski, since 2010 The Prime Minister, Ewa Kopacz (2014) Jarosław Kaczyński – the leader of the main opposition party, PiS

Polish people in the EU Donald Tusk Prime minister of Poland President of the European Union 2014–2018 x Jerzy Buzek Prime minister of Poland President of the European Parliament 2009–2012