| THE AFTERMATH |
| In April, May, and August of 1988, the govenment was unable to prevent Poland's decline. By months end, the Soviets gave de facto recognition to Solidarity and talks began between Interior Minister Kiszczak and Lech Walesa but by October talks had broken off. They resumed in February 1989. The meeting produced an agreement allowing for partly open national assembly elections. In the June election, one third of the seats went to the Communists, and one third to the two parties that formed the coalition. The remaining third of the seats were freely contested. All the seats were won by Solidarnosc. However, the agreement of February called for a Communist president and National Assembly. On July 19, General Jaruzelski was elected to the office of the president, supported by several Solidarnosc officials. On August 19, President Jaruzelsi asked Tadeusz Mazowiecki (a journalist and Solidarity activist) to form a government. On September 12, the Sejm (the lower house) voted its approval for the first non-communist government in more than 40 years. In December 1989, the Sejm approved the transformation of a centrally planned economy to a free market one. It also amended the constitution to eliminate every reference to the "leading role" of the Communist party. Poland was renamed, Republic of Poland. The communist-based, Polish United Workers Party was dissolved and in its place was the Social Democracty of the Republic of Poland. All communist property was turned over to the free Polish State. The May 1990 elections were completely free, but only slightly more than 40% of the electorate turned out to vote. The Cabinet was reorganized replacing the National Defense and Interior Affairs porfolios - remnants of the now-defunct Soviet regime. In October 1990, the Constitution was amended to end President Jaruzelski's term, and in December of the same year, Lech Walesa became the first popularly elected President of Poland. The 1989 election was the first democratic vote in 45 years. It started a chain reaction in which one after another of Russia's satellite states began to topple. |
| CONTINUED |
 |
 |
 |
The soul of Poland is indestructible....she will rise again like a rock which may for a spell be submerged by a tidal wave but which remains a rock. |