Musical tribute to victims of martial law in Poland

The 35th anniversary of the communist regime’s crackdown on the Solidarity movement falls on 13 December.

The concert features Mozart’s “Requiem”, to be performed by the soloists, vocal ensemble and the Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense period instruments ensemble of the Warsaw Chamber Opera.

The event is being held under the honorary patronage of President Andrzej Duda. The concert will be re-broadcast on Polish Radio One at midnight on 13 December, the exact anniversary of the martial law declaration.

On 16 December 1981, nine miners were killed in a battle with the ZOMO riot police at the Wujek coal mine in Katowice, southern Poland.

According to a parliamentary report compiled at the start of the 1990s, over 90 people were killed during martial law, which lasted formally until 22 July 1983. On the night of 13 December 1981, more than 6,500 opposition activists were arrested and interned.

Poland’s communist regime suspended all political and workers’ organizations and introduced a curfew. (mk/pk)