FRANCISZEK SKWIERCZYŃSKI'S SECRET CHRONICLE OF SZCZECIN SOLIDARITY IN THE YEARS 1980-1982

Discover the behind-the-scenes of Szczecin Solidarity's activities in the turbulent 1980s. Learn the story from the perspective of a secret collaborator whose actions had a huge impact on the fate of the union and the region. Immerse yourself in the world of intrigue, denunciation, and the fight for freedom, where the future of Poland was at stake.

• Detailed study of Franciszek Skwierczyński's documents
• Unique view of Solidarity's activities from the perspective of a secret SB collaborator
• The history of Szczecin Solidarity in the years 1980-1982
• Analysis of the role of Franciszek Skwierczyński in uncovering the opposition
• Valuable source for research on the history of Solidarity in the Pomeranian Region
• Enrichment of knowledge about Solidarity throughout Poland

The publication contains a study of the documents of Franciszek Skwierczyński, who, as a member of the presidium of the Szczecin MKR, and then the Management Board of the West Pomeranian Region and at the same time a secret collaborator of the SB, played an extremely important role in the years 1980–1982 (especially after December 13, 1981) in uncovering regional opposition structures. His actions had a significant impact on the functioning of Solidarity, both in the legal phase and underground after the introduction of martial law.

The history of Szczecin Solidarity in the years 1980–1982 is also the history of Franciszek Skwierczyński - a member of the presidium of the Management Board of the West Pomeranian Region and a participant of the 1st National Congress of Delegates, and at the same time a secret collaborator of the local Security Service with the pseudonyms "Śmiały" and "Kamil". The almost complete documentation of the agent's activities, which we present in this volume, should be considered a specific form of a chronicle of those breakthrough years. In particularly neuralgic moments, such as the creation of union structures after August '80, the fight for free Saturdays, the process of registering Solidarity, the Szczecin session of the National Conciliation Commission, the Bydgoszcz crisis, the General Congress of Delegates of the West Pomeranian Region, the KZD, contacts between the supervising officers and the agent sometimes occurred more than once a day. He also played an important role in the particularly difficult period for Solidarity members after the introduction of martial law, sabotaging initiatives aimed at integrating underground structures. His documentation is undoubtedly not only a valuable source for research on the history of Szczecin Solidarity, but also a point of reference for the functioning of the union throughout Poland.

The narrative shows the growing involvement of the secret collaborator in connection with his personal affairs and problems. Of course, most space is devoted to his role in legal Solidarity and then underground. The authors, describing Skwierczyński's activity, also try to determine the real impact of his denunciations on the functioning of Solidarity structures. The narrative is very accurate and in fact very instructive. Most of the materials come from the period of the Solidarity carnival, but the most valuable are those that relate to the Solidarity underground in Szczecin after the introduction of martial law. To sum up, we will receive an extremely valuable position, enriching our knowledge about Solidarity in the West Pomeranian Region.