Lech Wałęsa, born on September 29, 1943, in Popowo, Poland, is a renowned Polish statesman, trade union leader, and human rights activist. His unwavering commitment to freedom, democracy, and workers’ rights played a pivotal role in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and earned him international acclaim.
Wałęsa’s journey began as an electrician in the Gdańsk Shipyard, where he became increasingly involved in workers’ rights movements during the 1970s. He played a crucial role in founding the trade union “Solidarity” (Solidarność) in 1980, which quickly became a significant force for change in Poland.
Under Wałęsa’s leadership, the Solidarity movement became a powerful voice against the repressive communist regime in Poland. The movement united workers, intellectuals, and citizens in demanding political and economic reforms, challenging the authoritarian rule and advocating for human rights.
Despite facing arrests and persecution, Wałęsa’s determination and ability to rally the Polish people led to significant breakthroughs. In 1989, following negotiations with the government, Poland held partially free elections, leading to the fall of communism and the establishment of a democratic government.
In recognition of his immense contribution to the cause of freedom and human rights, Wałęsa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. His tireless efforts to promote peaceful change and advocate for workers’ rights made him an inspirational figure not only in Poland but also on the global stage.
Following his presidency of Poland from 1990 to 1995, Wałęsa remained an influential voice, advocating for democracy, human rights, and social justice. He continued to support democratic movements worldwide and worked tirelessly to strengthen civil society and promote dialogue among nations.
Lech Wałęsa’s legacy as a symbol of freedom, courage, and resilience remains deeply ingrained in Polish history. His indomitable spirit and leadership served as a catalyst for democratic movements throughout Eastern Europe, inspiring generations to fight for their rights and stand up against oppressive regimes.
Lech Wałęsa’s contributions to the downfall of communism in Poland and his unwavering commitment to workers’ rights and democracy have solidified his status as a towering figure in modern history. His lifelong dedication to the pursuit of freedom and human dignity serves as a reminder of the power of ordinary individuals to effect extraordinary change. Lech Wałęsa’s legacy as a champion of freedom, democracy, and workers’ rights continues to inspire individuals worldwide, embodying the belief that the pursuit of justice and equality is a cause worth fighting for.
We hold our heads high, despite the price we have paid, because freedom is priceless.
Lech Walesa
My most ardent desire is that my country will recapture its historic opportunity for a peaceful evolution and that Poland will prove to the world that even the most complex situations can be solved by a dialogue and not by force.
Lech Walesa
My youth passed at the time of the country’s reconstruction from the ruins and ashes of the war in which my nation never bowed to the enemy paying the highest price in the struggle.
Lech Walesa
Our firm conviction that ours is a just cause and that we must find a peaceful way to attain our goals gave us the strength and the awareness of the limits beyond which we must not go.
Lech Walesa
Our national history has so often filled us with bitterness and the feeling of helplessness.
Lech Walesa
The hope of the nation which throughout the nineteenth century had not for a moment reconciled itself with the loss of independence, and fighting for its own freedom, fought at the same time for the freedom of other nations.
Lech Walesa
The sole and basic source of our strength is the solidarity of workers, peasants and the intelligentsia, the solidarity of the nation, the solidarity of people who seek to live in dignity, truth, and in harmony with their conscience.
Lech Walesa
The supply of words in the world market is plentiful but the demand is falling. Let deeds follow words now.
Lech Walesa
When I recall my own path of life I cannot but speak of the violence, hatred and lies. A lesson drawn from such experiences, however, was that we can effectively oppose violence only if we ourselves do not resort to it.
Lech Walesa
This conviction brought me, in the summer of 1978, to the Free Trade Unions – formed by a group of courageous and dedicated people who came out in the defense of the workers’ rights and dignity.
Lech Walesa
We shall not yield to violence. We shall not be deprived of union freedoms. We shall never agree with sending people to prison for their convictions.
Lech Walesa
What until then seemed impossible to achieve has become a fact of life. We have won the right to association in trade unions independent from the authorities, founded and shaped by the working people themselves.
Lech Walesa
My country is in the grips of a major economic crisis. This is causing dramatic consequences for the very existence of Polish families. A permanent economic crisis in Poland may also have serious repercussions for Europe. Thus, Poland ought to be helped and deserves help.
Lech Walesa
I made the right decisions, I set everything on the right course, the reforms are going in the right direction.
Lech Walesa
The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I se it, is service to a fellow human being.
Lech Walesa
Lying at the root of the social agreements of 1980 are the courage, sense of responsibility, and the solidarity of the working people. Both sides have then recognized that an accord must be reached if bloodshed is to be prevented.
Lech Walesa
Let the veil of silence fall presently over what happened afterwards. Silence, too, can speak out.
Lech Walesa
It is hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail.
Lech Walesa
I’m lazy. But it’s the lazy people who invented the wheel and the bicycle because they didn’t like walking or carrying things.
Lech Walesa
I realize that the strivings of the Polish people gave rise, and still do so, to the feelings of understanding and solidarity all over the world.
Lech Walesa
You have riches and freedom here but I feel no sense of faith or direction. You have so many computers, why don’t you use them in the search for love?
Lech Walesa
I most sincerely wish that the world in which we live be free from the threat of a nuclear holocaust and from the ruinous arms race. It is my cherished desire that peace be not separated from freedom which is the right of every nation. This I desire and for this I pray.
Lech Walesa
The program of our movement stems from the fundamental moral laws and order.
Lech Walesa
I have always been and will be an enemy of communism, but I love all people.
Lech Walesa
I got politics and economics moving and then others took over.
Lech Walesa
I belong to the generation of workers who, born in the villages and hamlets of rural Poland, had the opportunity to acquire education and find employment in industry, becoming in the course conscious of their rights and importance in society.
Lech Walesa
I belong to a nation which over the past centuries has experienced many hardships and reverses. The world reacted with silence or with mere sympathy when Polish frontiers were crossed by invading armies and the sovereign state had to succumb to brutal force.
Lech Walesa
He who puts out his hand to stop the wheel of history will have his fingers crushed.
Lech Walesa
As a nation we have the right to decide our own affairs, to mould our own future. This does not pose any danger to anybody. Our nation is fully aware of the responsibility for its own fate in the complicated situation of the contemporary world.
Lech Walesa
I must tell you that the supply of words on the world market is plentiful, but the demand is falling.
Lech Walesa
The defense of our rights and our dignity, as well as efforts never to let ourselves to be overcome by the feeling of hatred – this is the road we have chosen.
Lech Walesa