U. S.- related records in the Historical Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union
We continue our series of presentations showcasing the holdings of the Historical Archives of the National Commission of NSZZ ‘Solidarność’ – the Solidarity Trade Union. Following discussions of materials related to Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Japan, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden, we now turn our attention to archival documents concerning the United States of America.
Materiały dotyczące USA w Archiwum Historycznym Komisji Krajowej NSZZ „Solidarność” znajdują się w następujących zespołach i kolekcjach:
- National Coordinating Committee and the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union in Gdańsk,
- National Executive Committee of the the Solidarity Trade Union,
- Coordinating Office Abroad of NSZZ “Solidarność” in Brussels,
- Ministry of Internal Affairs in Warsaw, Collection of the Solidarity Trade Union and Opposition Groups,
- Collection of Badge Pins Worn on Clothing (National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union in Gdańsk).
Among the materials presented below there are scans of a report prepared on June 8, 1981, for the National Coordinating Commission of NSZZ “Solidarność” concerning the union delegation’s participation in the 25th Congress of the International Metalworkers’ Federation, held in Washington, D.C., from May 24 to 29, 1981.
Of particular interest is a leaflet related to the visit of the President of the U.S., George H. W. Bush, to Gdańsk on July 11, 1989. Noteworthy documents also include materials from the visit of NSZZ “Solidarność” Chairman Lech Wałęsa to the U.S. Senate in November 1989, such as a guest and senator attendance list, and the breakfast menu prepared in his honor.
The collection also features documentation from the records of the General Committee of the NSZZ “Solidarność” Medicines and Medical Equipment Bank. This includes, for example, an appeal to the Polish American diaspora issued on December 15, 1980, by Andrzej Twerdochlib, President of the Gdańsk Branch of the Polish Writers’ Union, as well as a letter dated April 2, 1981, from Dr. Władysław Cebulski, Chair of the Special Medical Committee of the American Polonia for the Purchase of Medicines and Surgical Supplies, addressed to Alina Pieńkowska of the NSZZ “Solidarność” Health Service. Also published is a statement by the Polish American Congress, dated October 12, 1982, expressing its support for NSZZ “Solidarność.”
The presented collection includes the cover of Zbigniew Brzeziński’s book Plan gry. USA vs ZSRR (Game Plan: A Geostrategic Framework for the Conduct of the U.S.-Soviet Contest) and a commemorative pin bearing the slogan „Zwycięży Solidarność i przyjaźń” (Solidarity and Friendship Will Prevail), adorned with the flags of Poland and the United States alongside the Solidarity logo.
We warmly invite you to visit the Reading Room of the Historical Archives of the National Commission of NSZZ “Solidarność.” We remind interested researchers that archival materials are available for consultation upon request. Please contact us via email at: .
The fonds list is available online at „Szukaj w Archiwach” – “Search the Archives” (https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/web/archiwum-komisji-krajowej-nszz-solidarnosc/zespoly).
/Łukasz Grochowski, the Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union,
Iwona Flis, Stanisław Flis Foundation “Pomerania Archives”/
