Anna Walentynowicz

Anna Walentynowicz
Born	Anna Lubczyk Template:Birth date Sinne, Poland (now Sadove, Ukraine)
Died	April 10, 2010(2010-04-10) (aged 80) near Smolensk, Russia
Occupation	Trade union activist
Known for	Co-founder of Solidarity trade union; key figure in 1980 Gdańsk shipyard strike

Anna Walentynowicz

Anna Walentynowicz (Polish pronunciation: [ˈanna valɛntɨˈnɔvʲit͡ʂ]; born Lubczyk; 15 August 1929 – 10 April 2010) was a prominent Polish trade union activist and one of the founders of Solidarity, the first officially recognized independent trade union within the Eastern Bloc. Her dismissal from the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk during August 1980 triggered a strike at the shipyard, which rapidly escalated into widespread industrial action throughout the People's Republic of Poland, effectively bringing the Baltic coast to a standstill. The strike committee at the shipyard, known as the Interfactory Strike Committee (MKS), evolved into Solidarity; by September of that year, over one million workers had joined strikes supporting the MKS's 21 demands, marking it as the largest labor strike in history.

During the initial phase of the Gdańsk strike, Walentynowicz’s detention became a rallying cry captured by the slogan "Bring Anna Walentynowicz Back to Work!" She has been honored by some as the "mother of independent Poland" due to her steadfast dedication to justice and freedom. Tragically, she was among those who perished in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash near Smolensk, Russia, an accident that also claimed the lives of then-President Lech Kaczyński, his spouse, and top military officials.

In recognition of her contributions, Walentynowicz received Poland’s most prestigious award, the Order of the White Eagle, in 2006. Additionally, in 2020, Time magazine honored her by including her in their list of 100 Women of the Year, highlighting influential women worldwide over the past century.

Early life and career

President Lech Kaczyński presenting an award to Anna Walentynowicz (3 May 2006)

Memorial plaque honoring Walentynowicz, displayed on the residence where she lived until her passing.

Residence in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz where Anna Walentynowicz resided (photographed in 2010)

Anna Walentynowicz alongside Lech Wałęsa during a mass at the Lenin Shipyard, August 1980

The mass for the homeland; Anna Walentynowicz is visible in the front row (Warsaw, 1983)

Born in 1929 as Anna Lubczyk in the village of Sinne, Poland (currently Sadove, Ukraine) within Rivne Oblast, she came from a family of Ukrainian Shtundists. At just ten years old during Second World War, she started working as a domestic helper. Following the war, she relocated to Poland as part of the population transfers. In 1950, Walentynowicz took up employment at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, initially as a welder and subsequently operating cranes. Honored as a "Hero of Socialist Labor" and recognized among Stakhanovite workers for her dedication, she grew increasingly disenchanted with Poland’s communist regime, particularly following the violent incidents along the Baltic Coast during 1970 Polish protests. Though active in socialist youth organizations, she never formally joined the communist party. A committed Catholic who embraced ideals of social justice and resistance to oppression, Walentynowicz was profoundly influenced by the teachings of Pope John Paul II, with whom she maintained a personal correspondence. One of Pope John Paul II’s final letters was addressed to her, expressing wishes for her swift recovery from a back injury.

Her pursuit of justice began when she publicly denounced a supervisor who embezzled funds from the workers’ bonus pool to gamble on the lottery. Rather than confronting the corrupt official, authorities targeted her instead—she faced intimidation by secret police forces. Once celebrated as an 'exemplary worker' and 'Hero of Socialist Labor,' she had transformed into an outspoken critic of the regime.

Trade union activism

In 1978, Walentynowicz became a member of the newly established WZZ, also known as the Free Trade Unions of the Coast. During the early 1980s, she emerged as a prominent figure in the opposition movement alongside her WZZ colleagues such as Lech Wałęsa, Andrzej Gwiazda, Bogdan Borusewicz, Alina Pienkowska, Bogdan Lis, the Wyszkowski brothers, and Andrzej Kołodziej. As the editor of the Polish underground publication (bibuła) Robotnik Wybrzeża (The Coastal Worker), she circulated an illicit newsletter within the shipyard and frequently confronted authorities, openly challenging her superiors on numerous occasions.

Dismissal and emergence of Solidarity

Due to her involvement with the unauthorized trade union, Walentynowicz was dismissed from the shipyard on 7 August 1980, just five months before her planned retirement. This decision provoked outrage among workers, who initiated a strike on 14 August to defend her and demand her reinstatement. Early Western media reports covering the Gdańsk strike—granted access to the shipyard—often mentioned Anna Walentynowicz even before Lech Wałęsa. She also led the list of the Gdańsk shipyard strike committee prepared by Wałęsa. On the strike’s third day, 16 August 1980, management conceded to the Lenin Shipyard workers' demands regarding working conditions and wages. Subsequently, Wałęsa and others declared the strike concluded. However, eyewitness testimonies credit Walentynowicz and Alina Pienkowska with transforming what began as a strike focused on basic labor issues into a broader solidarity action supporting other striking workplaces. Walentynowicz and Pienkowska succeeded in closing the shipyard gates and retaining some workers inside, although many left initially only to return the following day.

As Wałęsa attempted to leave near Gate no° 1, he was intercepted and convinced to abandon his departure plans and rejoin the strike efforts.

The historic Gdańsk Agreement, signed on 31 August 1980, marked a milestone by officially recognizing workers’ rights to form independent trade unions separate from Party control for the first time within the Communist bloc. Shortly after this accord, the Solidarity union was registered, amassing nearly ten million members and becoming the largest trade union globally at that time.

Walentynowicz expressed:

Our objective should not be merely to obtain a slightly larger share of bread today, even if that would bring satisfaction; we must always remember our true goal. Our foremost responsibility is to consider others’ needs. If we embrace this duty fully, injustice among us will disappear, and we ourselves will avoid unjust treatment. Our daily motto must be: "Your problems are my problems too." We need to broaden our friendship and reinforce our solidarity.

Following the strike, Anna Walentynowicz served on the Presidium of MKS. She also joined the Presidium of Inter-Institute Founding Committee (MKZ – Międzyzakładowy Komitet Założycielski) for NSZZ Solidarity in Gdańsk. However, on 1 April 1981, she was 'recalled' from her MKZ position by the Presidium of Lenin Shipyard Institute Commission (KZ – Komisja Zakładowa) under unfounded allegations including inciting strikes, gathering signatures for a no-confidence vote against Wałęsa, misrepresenting members’ interests, and acting counterproductively toward the union. An investigative commission later determined these accusations to be baseless and concluded that KZ Presidium lacked authority to remove her from MKZ. Despite this, several Solidarity units within the shipyard promptly supported KZ’s decision without full awareness of facts or consultation with ordinary members, contravening union statutes. The journal Europe-Asia Studies observed that this incident illustrated how quickly Solidarity’s newer activists were willing both to back each other’s initiatives and to distrust original strike leaders like Walentynowicz—ironically, she had been central to initiating the very strike that sparked Solidarity’s formation. This episode highlighted growing divisions between emerging activists and veteran leaders as well as rank-and-file members. The disciplinary proceedings against Walentynowicz were led by Jerzy Borowczak, an ally of Wałęsa. Additionally, PZPR officials actively campaigned against her; Jan Łabędzki, PZPR’s first Secretary at Lenin Shipyard, publicly accused her of undermining NSZZ Solidarity’s unity. The involvement of party authorities in this matter was notable given their interference in union affairs without opposition from KZ Presidium itself.

In October 1981 during a gathering with workers in Radom, two security police officers collaborated with secret informant Karol in an unsuccessful attempt to poison Walentynowicz.

She received recognition as Woman of the Year in the Netherlands.

Following the imposition of martial law in December 1981 and subsequent fragmentation of Solidarity, Wałęsa's faction assumed control through a Temporary Coordinating Committee. Supported by Western backing but having abandoned many original ideals from 1980, this group took charge during this turbulent period.

Conflicts with Wałęsa

In September 1986, Lech Wałęsa established the first openly recognized and lawful Solidarity organization following the imposition of martial law, known as the Temporary Council of NSZZ Solidarity (Tymczasowa Rada NSZZ Solidarność). This body included figures such as Bogdan Borusewicz, Zbigniew Bujak, Władysław Frasyniuk, Tadeusz Jedynak, Bogdan Lis, Janusz Pałubicki, and Józef Pinior. Subsequently, in October 1987, Wałęsa formed the Country Executive Committee of NSZZ Solidarity (Krajowa Komisja Wykonawcza NSZZ Solidarność), appointing himself as chairman alongside members including Zbigniew Bujak, Jerzy Dłużniewski, Władysław Frasyniuk, Stefan Jurczak, Bogdan Lis, Andrzej Milczanowski, Janusz Pałubicki, and Stanisław Węglarz.Template:Fix/category

Walentynowicz expressed strong reservations about Solidarity's evolution:

The growing gap between Solidarity and the workforce is the primary cause of my disagreement with Wałęsa. The Temporary Committee resembles a new formation that is overly modeled on the PZPR. Those involved enjoy certain privileges, leading to a departure from Solidarity’s original principles. Since martial law was declared seven years ago, there have been no direct consultations with workers. Instead, meetings occur only among themselves—representing whom exactly?

In 1986, it was unexpected that individuals like Bujak and Borusewicz would appoint themselves rather than convene a National Commission. This move even caught the Government off guard. At that point, they violated the statutes. In autumn 1987, during a pilgrimage to Częstochowa, Solidarity members including myself submitted a petition to Wałęsa requesting a National Commission meeting. However, Wałęsa refused to accept it. Consequently, no meetings have taken place except those held internally.

Between 14 and 16 December 1981, Walentynowicz played a key role in organizing the strike at the Lenin Shipyard. Following its suppression, she was detained. On 18 December 1981, she was interned at facilities in Bydgoszcz-Fordon and Gołdap until her release in July 1982. She was subsequently arrested again from August 1982—held in prisons located in Gdańsk, Mokotów, and Grudziądz—until March 1983, and later detained from December 1983 to April 1984 in locations including Katowice, Lubliniec, Bytom, and Kraków. Overall, her imprisonment totaled nineteen months.

Walentynowicz reproached Wałęsa for claiming excessive personal recognition while insufficiently crediting the collective efforts of millions who contributed to Solidarity’s success. She argued that his "cult of personality" inflicted significant harm on the movement. It is well established that during his presidency Wałęsa initiated efforts to expunge files related to the informant "Bolek," which severely undermined lustration processes within Poland. Walentynowicz openly condemned Wałęsa’s behavior in her book Cień przyszłości (The Shadow of the Future), first published in Poland in 1993 and later released in Germany in 2012 under the title Solidarność – eine persönliche Geschichte.

French journalist Jean-Marcel Bouguereau—who observed Poland's events in 1980 firsthand and was expelled twice—authored one of the earliest critical pieces on Wałęsa for Libération. His article bore the title Walentynowicz "The true heroine of Gdańsk".

Reflecting on her aspirations during a 1985 interview, she stated:

We cannot remain passive observers. Our goal is a liberated Poland; however, freedom will not be handed to us voluntarily. If we remain inactive, more lives will be lost and more people will endure suffering. It is essential to educate because even after achieving freedom for Poland, the nation will be so drained that leadership may be scarce.

After the Collapse of Communism

Although Anna Walentynowicz remained engaged and outspoken following 1989, she deliberately distanced herself from several political parties associated with the new Solidarity movement. She believed that the emerging Solidarity leadership had forsaken the working class and ordinary citizens, failing to uphold the fundamental Solidarity principles of social justice. According to her, Solidarity had been taken over by individuals driven by self-interest who abandoned their original commitments. Walentynowicz chose not to participate in anniversary events organized by the reformed Solidarity. In 1995, she addressed an open letter to Lech Wałęsa. Later, in 2000, she refused an honorary citizenship offered by the city of Gdańsk. During the February 2002 dockworkers' strike in Gdynia, she remarked:

The 21 demands we presented in 1980 remain pertinent today. None have been realized. People continue to fight for dignity. This is outrageous.

In 2003, Walentynowicz sought reparations from the government for the persecution she endured during the 1980s and eventually received partial compensation. She devoted most of her financial resources to assisting those in need. On 15 November 2004, together with other former activists from the initial Solidarity movement and ex-political prisoners, she co-signed an open letter—drafted by Andrzej Gwiazda—addressed to the European Parliament concerning Solidarity’s trajectory. The European Parliament acknowledged this letter in a 2005 resolution motion, expressing regret that the post-1989 Solidarity failed to fulfill the goals of its original incarnation.

Walentynowicz was also outspoken in criticizing the conduct of Poland’s Civic Platform party. On 11 December 2009, she organized a conference titled "Poland after XX years 1989–2009" held in the Polish Sejm.

On 13 December 2005, Walentynowicz accepted the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom in Washington on behalf of the first independent trade union Solidarity. She was honored alongside Pope John Paul II and General Edward Rowny, who served as Chief US Nuclear Arms Control Negotiator with the Soviet Union. Columnist Georgie Anne Geyer likened her to Rosa Parks of Solidarity and compared her with prominent figures such as Indira Gandhi and Corazon Aquino. During her visit, she met with AFL-CIO leaders including Vice President Linda Chavez Thompson. At a meeting held at the State Department, Walentynowicz presented a relief sculpture of John Paul II as a gift to President George W. Bush and the American people; this was received by Paula Dobriansky, Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs, recognized for her support of Solidarity.

Several documentaries have featured Walentynowicz: Wer ist Anna Walentynowicz? (Who is Anna Walentynowicz?, directed by Sylke Rene Meyer, 2002, recipient of the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award), Musimy się na nowo policzyć (We Have to Count Ourselves Anew, directed by Grzegorz W. Tomczak, 2014), Podwójne dno (Double Bottom, directed by Dariusz Małecki, 1994), Anna Proletariuszka (Anna Proletarian, directed by Marek Ciecierski and Sławomir Grunberg, 1980/81), and Robotnicy '80 (Workers '80, 1980). In Leslie Woodhead’s docudrama Strike: The Birth of Solidarity (1981), she was portrayed by Frances Cox. Walentynowicz appeared as herself in Man of Iron (1981), which led some to dub her "woman of iron." She expressed criticism toward Volker Schlöndorff’s film Strike (2006).

Death

Anna Walentynowicz tragically lost her life in a aviation accident near Smolensk on 10 April 2010. She perished alongside President Lech Kaczyński, First Lady Maria Kaczyńska, and numerous other notable Polish dignitaries while traveling to honor the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre during World War II. A commemorative plaque has been installed on her residence in Wrzeszcz, a district of Gdańsk, and the city of Gdynia has dedicated a roundabout in her name. Michael Szporer, a Communications Professor at the University of Maryland, reflected on her legacy: "Her life mirrored Poland's own journey—never insignificant. If you stand up for yourself and care for others, look at what you can achieve, Pani Ania stands as a more genuine and admirable role model than most—because she was sincere. Our nurturing and protective mother!"

An exhumation carried out in 2012 revealed that the remains interred in Anna Walentynowicz's grave actually belonged to Teresa Walewska-Przyjałkowska. Following this discovery, the bodies were correctly reburied in their proper resting places.

In 2015, legal proceedings commenced regarding an attempted poisoning of Anna Walentynowicz dating back to 1981.

Remembrance

In 2011, a memorial plaque honoring Anna Walentynowicz was inaugurated in Gdańsk, created by the artist Sławoj Ostrowski.

Two years later, in 2013, Wrocław officially opened the Anna Walentynowicz Square to recognize her significant contribution to ending communism in Poland.

A monument of Walentynowicz was revealed in 2015 at the Pantheon of National Heroes located in the Cemetery of the Fallen from the Battle of Warsaw in Ossów.

Later that same year, December 2015 saw the dedication of the primary chamber, known as The Column Room, within the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland to Anna Walentynowicz.

In 2017, a street in Szczecin formerly named after General Berling was renamed in her honor. Additionally, a street carrying her name was established in Lublin.

The Sejm passed a resolution in 2018 declaring 2019 as the "Year of Anna Walentynowicz".

On 12 October 2020, Polish President Andrzej Duda unveiled a monument dedicated to Walentynowicz in Kyiv, Ukraine. He described her as "a symbol of the Solidarity movement, a woman who, among all the men present at that time, contributed to shaping a female perspective on Poland and its affairs."

Quotes

Excerpt from a leaflet distributed to workers at Lenin Shipyard on 14 August 1980:

Publications not yet translated into English

• The Shadow of the Future (original title: Cień przyszłości) (1993)

Additional resources

• Michael Szporer, Solidarity: The Great Workers Strike of 1980, Lexington Books, 2012
• Sławomir Cenckiewicz, Anna Solidarność (Anna Solidarity), Zysk i S-ka, Poznań, 2010
• Shana Penn, Solidarity's Secret: The Women Who Defeated Communism in Poland, University of Michigan Press, 2005
• Kristi S. Long, We All Fought for Freedom: Women in Poland's Solidarity Movement, Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1996
• Tomasz Jastrun, Życie Anny Walentynowicz (The Life of Anna Walentynowicz), Independent Publishing House NOWA, 1985

External links

• Who is Anna Walentynowicz?, a documentary directed by Sylke Rene Meyer (2002) available in English and German
  • Reflection on the film by Wincenty Koman (in Polish)
  • Information on the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award from the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation
• Give Us Back Anna Walentynowicz, 2014
• Where is the body of Smolensk crash victim and legendary Solidarity co-founder Anna Walentynowicz?, dated May 13, 2014
• Anna Proletarian, brief biography
• Don't Wait for Instructions: An Interview with Anna Walentynowicz, originally published in the underground magazine Biuletyn Dolnośląski, issue no. 1 (59), January 1985
  • Transcript of the interview titled "Nie czekać na wytyczne" (Don't Wait for Instructions), pages 2–4 (in Polish)
• Interview with Anna Walentynowicz about Poland’s situation, August 1988
• Interview with Janusz Walentynowicz, son of Anna Walentynowicz, January 25, 2012
  • Interview titled "Szyderstwo zamiast współczucia" (Mockery Instead of Compassion) by Dorota Kania (in Polish)
• Musimy się na nowo policzyć, documentary film directed by Grzegorz W. Tomczak (2014) (in Polish)
• Statement from the conference "Polska po XX latach 1989–2009" (Poland after Twenty Years 1989–2009) organized by Anna Walentynowicz, held December 11, 2009, in the Sejm (in Polish)
  • Video of Anna Walentynowicz speaking at the conference "Poland after Twenty Years 1989–2009" on December 11, 2009 (in Polish)
• An Open Letter to the European Parliament, concerning Solidarity’s development, signed by Anna Walentynowicz, 2004
  • Motion for a resolution acknowledging the open letter, 2005
• Open Letter to Lech Wałęsa authored by Anna Walentynowicz, September 25, 1995 (in Polish)
• Catalyst of Poland's Crisis, published in The New York Times on August 21, 1980; and Firing of politically active worker set off Polish crisis from The Miami News on August 21, 1980
• Robotnik Wybrzeża (The Coastal Worker), editions of the underground newspaper of the Free Trade Unions of the Coast for which Walentynowicz was an editor (in Polish)
• Szczera dyskusja nad antrykotem, Anna Walentynowicz’s inaugural article in the underground publication Robotnik (The Worker), issues no. 38–39 from 1979, page 4 (in Polish)
• Official website dedicated to Anna Walentynowicz, featuring her book text in Polish
• „Anna Solidarność". Anna Walentynowicz (1929–2010), article by Sławomir Cenckiewicz published in Biuletyn IPN, issues no. 9–10 (118–119), September–October 2010 (in Polish)
• Exhibition titled "Anna Walentynowicz. Legend of 'Solidarity' 1929–2010" (in Polish)
  • Article "Jak doszło do sierpniowego strajku [1], nieznane fakty" ("How the August Strike Came About [1], Unknown Facts") by Lech Zborowski published on WZZW via salon24.pl (in Polish)
• Solidarnosc – re-establishing a legacy, featuring selected information related to Anna Walentynowicz
• Polish news coverage: Anna Walentynowicz Appeal
• [2] and [3] documentation on Anna Walentynowicz receiving the Truman–Reagan Medal of Freedom
• Anna Walentynowicz at IMDb