** #PE ** Mauerfall, the Wall collapse: the real story.
Most of the world believes today it was the Berlin Wall collapse (Mauerfall) in late Autumn 1989 to mark the fall of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe. This is as far from the truth as it only can be. Yet I do not blame anyone, except ourselves: we, Poles, made it easy for the world to forget that we were the first, far before the rest of the Soviet Bloc. And I do not mean the “Solidarity Carnival” of 1980-81, as it was a peaceful uprising which failed, just as so many other, often bloody attempts: Poznań 1956, Budapest 1956, Warszawa 1968, Prague 1968, Gdańsk 1970, Radom & Ursus 1976.
Here is an attempt to present the chronology of events. The following tables are meant to provide milestones of the collapse of communism in the Soviet Bloc. While I shall cover events in six Central and Eastern European countries, the first table shall be dedicated to Poland. In 1988, there were no signs of revolution in any of the other five – Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Bulgaria, and Romania. This order shall be kept throughout the tables to fit the actual chronology of overthrowing the communist party in the countries mentioned.
While I try to concentrate on the real milestones and eliminate the less important events, I am not always successful. Thus, some events are bold as they seem to me more milestonish than some other milestones. Following abbreviations shall be used: CP (ComParty) = communist party; GS (GenSec) = general / first secretary of the CP; TCO = other Top Communist Official;
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1988 |
Poland |
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13 June |
GS Jaruzelski mentions „round table” to talk with „various groups” about more freedom of association |
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31 August |
Lech Wałęsa meets TCO Czesław Kiszczak, “Round Table publicly announced; repressions almost cease |
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16 September |
Magdalenka talks begin on „the shape of trade unions in Poland” |
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25 October |
The Round Table, 8.5 m diameter, meant for 56 participants, is almost ready (without legs) yet publicly displayed (so Polish) |
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30 November |
The live debate of Lech Wałęsa with TCO unionist Alfred Miodowicz on state TV |
Sorry, this must take time, pls expect this article, with a detailed table of events, ready by the end of November, 2019.