The great Solidarity movement, which was a response to the unforgettable call of John Paul II from Warsaw's Victory Square and changed "the face of this earth," was born in the city, in large industrial plants, but from the beginning, the wind of change swept over the Polish countryside, which had been subjected to socialist experiments during the communist years, we read in the book Solidarity of Farmers 1980-1989. "For Solidarity became a nationwide uprising, encompassing all professional and social circles, including farmers, then called individual farmers, who fought the longest to have independent trade unions.
The authors write that while the Solidarity movement - urban, red, and "large" - was active alongside the Solidarity movement, the green, "small", rural, peasant, and agricultural movement, it played a role in expanding the area of freedom during the "carnival" of 16 years between 1980 and 1981, in maintaining the will to resist the system that was dying out after martial law was imposed, with the help of the Church, and in the systemic changes initiated at the Round Table.
This struggle for democracy, patriotism and adherence to the universal Church of the Polish countryside was emphasized by Marshal Kuchciński. During his speech celebrating the 35th anniversary of NSZZ Indywidualnych Rolników "Solidarność", he recalled that many great Poles spoke about the great burden of its inhabitants, the responsibility for building national identity and human dignity. He also spoke about the defense against totalitarianism and the support and shelter that the Polish countryside gave during World War II, for example to the soldiers who were expelled.
Marshal Kuchciński laid flowers at the monument to Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, whose involvement in the cause of Solidarity greatly contributed to its success, at the monument to Marshal Jozef Pilsudski, who appreciated the enormous role of the countryside in rebuilding the Republic of Poland and preserving Polishness, and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Without the Polish countryside fair development of our country would be impossible, and without the activists of agricultural solidarity - victory in the first partially free elections to the Sejm and free elections to the Senate - emphasized the Speaker. - I would like to thank you for the social activity of the Movement, for the creation of the NSZZ RI "Solidarność" and for leading this organization through the turbulent history of the last 35 years. I pay homage to all those farmers and peasants who made sacrifices for the Republic of Poland, who fought for it, gave their lives, were forced to emigrate, but did not give up... I hope that Poland will not forget you - he concluded.
