Abstract

This war was not declared. During one Saturday night in December, officials of the security system pounded at our homes, broke down the doors with crowbars, beat us, sprayed us with tear gas, handcuffed us and threw us in prisons. We were the first prisoners in the war of the Communist establishment against its own population. This night action was General Jaruzelski's first successful battle. This is how the decision of the 9th Congress of the Polish United Workers Party against holding concurrent offices was carried out. Jaruzelski, already defense minister, premier and first Party secretary, now also became the head of the Military Council for National Salvation, abbreviated WRONA. In Polish, wrona also means crow.