Polish Lessons

June 16, 2025 – Krynica Morska to Gdynia – 80 kms – Urban Jungle 

June 17, 18 and 19, 2025 – Gdynia – Urban Jungle

June 20, 2025 – Gdynia to near Elbląg – 90 kms – Zabytkowa Drewniany Dom Z 1887 Roku

Before leaving Canada I read an article in the Guardian by Jarodław Kuisz and Karolina Wigura about how Americans can learn from Poland’s play book for resisting authoritarianism.  They explained, “Our eastern European political culture, shaped by historical catastrophes, has developed some antibodies against oppressive power.” 

We visited the The European Solidarity Center in Gdansk, where the story of Polish resistance and their determination to fight oppression was on full display in a fabulous exhibition.

The Solidarity movement began in 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard, sparked in part by the firing of Anna Walentynowicz, a crane operator and activist.  Her dismissal triggered a massive strike, which quickly expanded into a national movement led by Lech Wałęsa and others. Solidarity succeeded in becoming  the first independent trade union in the Soviet bloc, posing a serious challenge to communist authority. In response, the government imposed martial law in December 1981, banning Solidarity, arresting leaders, and suppressing dissent. Despite this, underground resistance endured. Ultimately the solidarity movement was successful in 1989, when Solidarity had sweeping victory in the first free elections.  The peaceful toppling of communism in Poland helped ignite democratic change across Eastern Europe. For me, Poland’s peaceful end to its communist era is one of the most inspiring movements in twentieth century history. 

Our visit to the museum was made even more meaningful because we went with our friend Ewa. I knew she had lived through this period and was involved in the Solidarity movement, but I didn’t realize to what extent.  Even though she had been to the Solidarity Centre numerous times for cultural events, this was also her first time through the exhibition. As we moved through rooms covering different periods in the struggle she shared her personal knowledge of particular people and events. Some of the leaders she knew personally. And she was present at some of the key moments in the long struggle.

These are Polish lessons I didn’t expect to need, but increasingly I feel we must all study the successful battles against tyranny so that we too will have some antibodies in our systems to resist  authoritarianism.  I’m so proud of the efforts of the people of Poland,  who pushed aside their fears and joined a peaceful movement that would lead to the crumbling of the USSR and the rise of democracies across Eastern Europe. 

Yesterday we had another wonderful Polish lesson, this one on how to make pierogies.  Cooking with Ewa was such a joy!  We ate so many it’s a good thing we are getting back on our bikes to ride. 

It was hard to say good-bye to Ewa, but we are all determined to meet somewhere next year. 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/28/right-defeated-same-antibodies-poles-developed-beat-communism?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other