On the night of 12 to 13 December 1981, martial law was introduced in Poland.

"Citizens! The burden of responsibility that falls on me at this dramatic moment in Polish history is great. It is my duty to take this responsibility [...]. I announce that today the Military Council of National Salvation has been constituted. The Council of State, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, introduced martial law throughout the country today at midnight." - this is an excerpt from the speech of General Wojciech Jaruzelski, who on 13 December announced the introduction of martial law in Poland.

The introduction of martial law was justified by the economic collapse of the country, the threat of anarchy, civil war and the seizure of power by "Solidarity", in fact it was aimed at defending the existing system by breaking up and liquidating "Solidarity" as a great social force independent of the communist power.

Today

, on the 44th anniversary of the introduction of martial law, official ceremonies were held in Ełk. At the Monument to the "Fallen for Free and Independent Poland" in the Solidarity Park, the delegations laid flowers and lit candles in tribute to the victims of martial law. At 6:00 p.m., the Holy Mass was held in the Cathedral of St. Adalbert.

Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Martial

in 2002 was established by the Sejm of the fourth term as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Martial Law. "We turn our memory and gratitude to all those who made sacrifices for the independence of Polish, national and civil liberties" – reads the content of the adopted resolution.

About martial law

Source: Historical Museum in Ełk

Martial law was introduced on the night of 12 to 13 December 1981 by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party and Prime Minister General W. Jaruzelski, as well as the Ministers of National Defence and Internal Affairs. The power in the country was taken over by the Military Council of National Salvation (WRONA) under the leadership of General W. Jaruzelski. The introduction of martial law was justified by the economic collapse of the country, the threat of anarchy, civil war and the seizure of power by "Solidarity", in fact it was aimed at defending the existing system by breaking up and liquidating "Solidarity" as a great social force independent of the communist power. 

On the basis of the decrees of the Council of State and the regulations of the Council of Ministers, basic civil rights were restricted, m.in. a total of over 10,000 people were arrested or interned (including the chairman of "Solidarity" Lech Walesa), all trade unions were suspended, then dissolved (October 1982), some social organizations were banned, strikes were banned, basic areas of the economy (communications, telecommunications, mining, energy and over 100 of the largest industrial enterprises), military commissars were introduced into workplaces and state institutions, changes in the place of residence of citizens without the permission of the administrative authorities were forbidden, telephone communications were interrupted, and later openly controlled for a period of several weeks to several months, the publication of many dailies and magazines was suspended, only radio and television programs were broadcast, a curfew and censorship of correspondence were introduced, an ad hoc procedure was applied in court proceedings, A political-ideological verification of some professional groups (journalists, teachers, judges) was carried out. 

One of the tasks of martial law was to control the basic links of "Solidarity" by secret collaborators of the Security Service (this intention was withdrawn). Some of the "Solidarity" activists who escaped arrest organized strikes (December 1981 in most large enterprises) and other forms of social resistance, mainly passive, (boycott of the state mass media, mainly television) and rebuilt the structures of the NSZZ "Solidarity" in the underground (factory and regional, in April 1982 the National Coordination Commission was established). An underground second publishing circulation and a cultural life independent of the state authorities (supported by the Catholic Church) developed. The state authorities fought underground organizations and institutions, and pacified sit-in strikes and street demonstrations with the use of special units of the Ministry of Defence (ZOMO) and heavy military equipment. As a result of the beatings, several dozen people were killed, murdered or died, m.in 9 miners were shot dead in the Wujek Mine in Katowice (16 December 1981) and 3 demonstrators in Lubin (31 August 1982). Many thousands of people were arrested and sentenced to prison or fines, deprived of their jobs; the so-called declarations of loyalty to the state authorities were forced; among the internees, a recruitment campaign was carried out for secret collaborators of the Security Service, and people were persuaded to emigrate; a propaganda campaign was carried out justifying the introduction of martial law and attacking "Solidarity". The Catholic Church provided help to the repressed, the Primate's Committee for Assistance to Persons Deprived of Liberty and their Families was established, as well as local committees in dioceses and parishes. 

The introduction of martial law was opposed by the USA and other Western countries (economic sanctions and information and propaganda campaigns), the activities of "Solidarity" were supported by trade union headquarters, m.in. AFL-CIO and the International Labour Organization, in many countries (mainly Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries) a spontaneous movement of support for Solidarity and a powerful charity campaign for the population of Polish was formed.

On 31 December 1982, martial law was suspended, and on 22 July 1983 it was revoked (while maintaining part of the repressive legislation).