08/30/11 Last night was the opening night reception for a fascinating photo exhibit celebrating the 30th anniversary of Poland’s heroic Solidarity movement which started as a peaceful trade labor uprising and morphed into a nationalist, human rights and democracy cause that finally led to the collapse of the Evil Empire. The exhibit will be on display at the Woodrow Wilson Center until September 29th.

From the release . . .

 

The Phenomenon of Solidarity:

Pictures From the History of Poland,

1980-1981

 

a photo exhibition

 

 

 

presented by

the Institute of National Remembrance (Poland)

and

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Cold War International History Project

 

The Phenomenon of Solidarity commemorates the 30th anniversary of the founding of the movement, and highlights formative moments in its history. The exhibition traces key events, such as the strikes of August 1980 and the enforcement of Martial Law in December of 1981. The photographs offer a new perspective on the path leading to the creation of the Solidarity Trade Union, and provide an insight into the Union’s relations with the communist regime, as well as the prevailing social sentiment towards the movement amidst pivotal political, social, and economic developments in Poland.

Most photos displayed at the exhibition were taken by recognized photographers, amongst them were Erazm Ciołek, Jarosław M. Goliszewski, Stanisław Jakubowski, Bogusław Nieznalski, Stanisław Składanowski, Zbigniew Trybka, Janusz Uklejewski and others, who had been documenting the major events in the history of the “Solidarity” movement.

The Phenomenon of Solidarity is part of an ongoing cooperative relationship between the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and the Wilson Center’s Cold War International History Project.

The exhibition was prepared by the Public Education Office of the Institute of National Remembrance and will be on display in the Woodrow Wilson Center Memorial Hallway from August 29th through September 29th, 2011.

Exhibition Scenario – Dr. Łukasz Kamiński

Cooperation – Tomasz Gleb (FORUM), Anna Piekarska, Agnieszka Rudzińska

Design – Sylwia Szafrańska

Print – DUX Agency