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1980s Poland: Dazzling Color Pictures Show Life In Polish People’s Republic

In the 1980s, Poland was called the Polish People’s Republic. The foreign debt was over US$23 billion, and the country was forced to export everything it could, particularly food and coal, to service its massive debt. Inflation was very high, because the government was forced the raise the prices, which led to further large-scale social unrest and formation of the Solidarity movement. Rationing and queuing became a way of life, even to a buy toilet paper, people had to wait for hours in the queue. Access to luxury goods was nearly impossible because people were running out of the basic necessities. The socialist system influenced every sphere of life. The socialist food distribution system barely functioned, tanks rolled along the streets.

The following pictures show Poland in the early 1980s when it was under the communist regime. These photographs were captured by Chris Niedenthal.

#1 Young boys rearing chicks at home, Leszno, martial law, 1982.

#2 Live carp; preparing for Christmas Eve dinner, 1980s.

#10 Pilgrimage for men winds its way to Piekary Śląskie, 1982.

#11 Cracow, 300th anniversary of victory over Turks, 1983.

#15 Tadeusz Konwicki, Polish author, film director, 1982.

#16 Lech Wałęsa in Solidarity’s office, in Gdansk-Wrzeszcz, 1980.

#18 The Kiss” Lech Walesa with his wife Danuta before heading off to work, 1980.

#19 Jasna Góra, papal pilgrimage, Czestochowa, 1983.

#20 Lech Walesa arriving for registration of Solidarity trade union, Warsaw, 1980.

#22 Karlino, where an explosion rocked oil drilling installations, 1981.

#25 Perfect” rock band at a concert in Konin, 1983.

#26 Horseback pilgrimage during Easter at Pietrowice Śląskie, 1984.

#27 Learning English at a language school, Warsaw, 1982.

#28 Tired young boy during pilgrimage on foot Warsaw-Czestochowa, 1982.

#29 Prayers after assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, Cracow, 1981.

#34 End of strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, 1980.

#38 Outdoor market in Grójec, during martial law, 1982.

#41 Lech Wałęsa, Pope John Paul II and Fr. Henryk Jankowski at Wałęsa’a home in Gdańsk, 1982.

#46 Holy Mass at opening of 1st Convention of Solidarity, Oliwa, 1981.

#50 Guard of honour during visit of Mikhail Gorbachev in Sofia, 1980s.

Guard of honour during visit of Mikhail Gorbachev in Sofia, 1980s.

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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