Anti-communism groups in the 80's

DieuwertjeThreads: 1 Joined: Apr 27, 09	Apr 27, 09, 15:54 / #
Hello everyone, I'm new! I'm currently working as a teacher in Bydgoszcz and in my free time I'm learning more about contemporary Polish history, through conducting interviews with people who played a role in the activism against communism in the 80's of the previous century. Besides the Solidarity movement, I'm also looking at smaller groups of resistance. One of these groups is Ruch Wolność i Pokój. I've heard that they were extremely liberal and far more progressive than other groups. Who can tell me more about Ruch Wolność i Pokój? It's hard to find English info online. If anyone knows someone who was active in this or in any other group, please give me a heads up. Unfortunately, this person must speak reasonable English, as my Polish isn't good, despite valiant efforts. Thanks in advance, Dieuwertje

z_dariusThreads: 22 Posts: 5,091 Joined: Oct 18, 07	Apr 27, 09, 17:17 / #
Ruch Wolność i Pokój stemmed for a student organization NZS (Niezalezne Zrzeszenie Studentow - Independent Students Association) and it was created as a response/offshoot to an imprisonment of a student who was an NZS member and who refused to take the military oath. In communist Poland that oath included a phrase whereby a soldier was to swear his faithfulness to the soviet army. Ruch Wolność i Pokój was indeed more liberal but a much smaller and less visible group. Most students were members of NZS. I found a Master's Thesis about Ruch Wolność i Pokój but that is in Polish. Kinda lengthy for a whole lot of volunteers to translate it in a matter of minutes. There is a mention of another academic thesis on the subject.