Saturday 16 April 2016

Gdańsk and the Shipyard

          Beginnings of shipbuilding in Gdańsk date back to the 70s XV. In 1804 the shipyard was founded by Jan Klawitter, who built the first wooden sailing ships and river steamers. Then, in 1844 on the grounds purchased by the Prussian government established Navy marina, then transformed into the Royal Plant Construction of Corvettes. Since 1871 the plant was named Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard). The yard was owned by the state and worked exclusively for the needs of the Navy. In 1890 near the Imperial Shipyard was established shipyard Schichau-Werft, produced both commercial vessels and passenger.

           After the outbreak of war, the whole shipyard was taken over by the German state. After the war, September 3, 1945 inaugurated the opening of ship repair yard. Additional production was assembling tractors, steam engines and trucks. November 6, 1948 took place the launching of the first built after the war, ship named Sołdek. The ship was named after the tracer working of the Gdansk Shipyard, Stanislaw Sołdek.

          April 15, 1967 Gdansk Shipyard was named after Vladimir Lenin. December 14, 1970 was announced in Poland price increase of meat and other food products. This resulted in the outbreak of a strike in the Gdansk shipyard and other shipyards around the coast. Against the striking shipyard workers used the armed forces, which in acute weapons attacked the striking workers in Gdansk (16 December), as well as workers going  to work in the shipyard in Gdynia (December 17). The bullets that killed dozens of people.

             August 1980 was another great event in Poland and the Gdansk Shipyard. The huge economic and social problems, such as difficulties in the supply of basic foodstuffs at an all-time food exports to the Soviet Union, the authorities struggle with growing increasingly democratic opposition, restrictions on freedom of speech, lack of prospects for improving living conditions. Launched August 14, 1980 sit-crew Gdansk Shipyard in defense of the fire leader of the labor movement: gantry Anna Walentynowicz. The strike turned into three days of nationwide protest society against the communist regime. Shpiyard staff protest was supported by intellectuals and society and transformed then in a nationwide social movement "Solidarity". Labor strikes covered the entire country.

              Increasing in the end of 1981 years the tension in relations "Solidarity" - the state authorities reached its apogee on Sunday, 13 December, when the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Prime Minister, General Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial law. Banned "Solidarity" and imprisoned or interned active social activists, introduced censorship of the press and publications, radio and television. Introduced curfew introduced wiretapping of telephone conversations and censor mail, limited mobility, introduced food stamps.

               At the end of the 80s rose again the activity of society, demanding the legalization of "Solidarity" and return to the path of democratic change. Further demonstrations took place with the participation of workers and Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1982. The communist authorities recognizing the need for change agreed to talks with the opposition at the "round table", which led to partially free elections to the parliament and the Senate in 1989, and changes political system in Poland.

               Gdansk Shipyard during their activities has built and put into operation shipowners concerned from various countries of the world more than 1,000 fully equipped seagoing vessels with a high international standard


Photos by mag jack










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