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strike. But at what price? At the price of further aware of. If they provide us with loans, if they trade with
capitulation. Kania himself now recognizes that they us, then the best case is that they are applying market
made great mistakes and he blames [Deputy Prime principles, and a worse case that they are pursuing purely
Minister Mieczys aw] Rakowski but the latter is losing political objectives.
control. When Polish representatives explain why it is difficult
It is difficult to say now how events will develop for them to take the offensive against counter-revolution,
further. Given the present tactics of the PUWP leadership they openly say we re dependent on the West.
it is hardly possible to expect that the pressure of the anti- That is the greatest lesson for socialist countries. All
socialist forces will diminish. Of course, that disturbs us of them ought to once again assess the extent of their
all, all members of our community. The Polish comrades indebtedness abroad and do everything to prevent it from
are preparing to undertake something at the upcoming increasing and approaching a dangerous limit.
session of the Sejm. We ll see what comes of that. [& ]
NEW EVIDENCE ON THE POLISH CRISIS 1980-1982 71
[Source: SÚA, A ÚV KSC, PÚV 2/1981, 16 April 1981; to mobilize the Party and is hostage to its own illusions
translated by Old ich T ma.] regarding the last Party Congress. Kania and
Barczikowski apparently fear more than anything else a
general strike, a civil war, and the occupation of Polish
Document No. 5 territory by the Soviet Union. These are apparently the
Record of a Meeting between Representatives of the main reasons why they have chosen a tactic of dialogue.
CPCz CC and SED CC International Relations The district party committees are showing an increase in
Department in East Germany, 8 October 1981 their own initiatives. Comrades are organizing their own
(excerpt) actions against Solidarity with the goal of preventing
illegality, maintaining the industrial process, organizing
8 October 1981. the supply of goods, and maintaining order at least at the
district level. Yet this approach cannot be credited to all
[...] districts. It is dependent on two factors:
The Situation Inside the Party 1. the personality of the district party secretary
The [PUWP] Party Congress has solved nothing. The 2. the politico-ideological level of the membership
change which took place at the highest party levels has led base
nowhere. Logically, it could not lead anywhere under the For example, in Wroc aw the First Secretary is good, but
present conceptual conditions of maintaining dialogue the membership base is bad. In Leszno, Jelenia Gora, and
with a class enemy. Following the end of the Solidarity Zelenia Gora the membership base is average, but the
Congress, however, a change in thinking has occurred, leading secretaries are not worth much.
particularly amongst the party rank and file. Opinion Discussion circles in Katowice, Poznan and other
groups are forming, representing different cities are increasing and are changing into Marxist-
conceptualizations of the optimal solution in the Polish Leninist circles. These are increasing their influence.
situation. However, they have large conceptual problems (often
1. Particularly at the district level there is a group of leftist deviations), as well as organizational difficulties and
honest comrades who had suffered illusions regarding the poor material conditions. From all of this the question
possibility of dialogue with Solidarity. Everyday reality, emerges where to next? By all accounts the
however, has shown them something quite different. The counterrevolution has its own objective laws. Under
leaders of certain districts, with the exception of Poznan, certain conditions it escapes from the hands of its
Gdansk, and Cracow, have come to the conclusion that organizers and takes on an uncontrollable character. The
Kania s capitulationist policy has collapsed. factors which have so far acted as a brake on the Polish
2. A crystallization of opinion is also taking place at counterrevolution (the influence of socialist society,
the level of the CC. Recently even Kania and [Politburo moderate tendencies in the West, the Polish Church) will
member Kazimierz] Barczikowski have undergone a slight not continue to operate forever. The question emerges as
shift in position, particularly under pressure from their to when this will all cease to function. American
district comrades and from the Soviet leadership. imperialism plays itself out in Polish events in two
3. Definite changes in the positions of certain directions:
individuals can also be seen. Rakowski for example is a) rapidly escalating the situation in Poland, and in an
turning from the right wing towards the center and is attempt at system change creating a bonfire of
gradually acquiring a leftist flair. On the other hand, international provocation,
[hardline Politburo member Stefan] Olszowski is moving b) continuing the furtive process, institutionalizing
to the right. One can also note differences of opinion and legalizing the achieved gains of the counterrevolution.
between Kania and Jaruzelski. This results from the fact The Polish Church has been a supporter of the latter
that Rakowski is essentially the brains behind Jaruzelski course, and under [Cardinal Stefan] Wyszinski restrained
and thus a change in Rakowski s position influences the most radical wing of Solidarity, as the Church does not
Jaruzelski s point of view, which then leads to his wish to lose what influence they have managed to gain
differences in opinion with Kania. within the country. The departure of Wyszinski has thus
4. The CC apparatus is very strongly opposed to meant a weakening of the Church s restraining role.
Kania. This emerges from conversations with PUWP CC Increasing anarchy is proof that the counter-
members during both private and official visits to the revolution s furtive phase is coming to an end.
GDR. The common thread of these changes in opinion is Destruction and the uncontrollable course of certain mass
the realization that the tactic of dialogue, which permits actions could change into an open stand-off. The spark
the steady advance of the counterrevolution, is at an end. could be provided by the emerging chaos in the supply of
It is not known, though, how deep or expansive these goods. The onset of winter will most likely speed up the
differentiating changes are. Our Polish comrades mechanics of confrontation. This is not, however, in the
themselves say that confrontation is unavoidable, as interest of any of the parties. The question thus emerges
Kania s leadership, bereft of ideas, has failed to take steps of how to avoid the coming conflict.
72 COLD WAR INTERNATIONAL HISTORY PROJECT BULLETIN 11
In Poland a variety of solutions, at different levels, should seek out contacts with their Polish partners and as
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