On August 31, 1980, the "Gdansk Agreement" was signed, a sensation. For the first time, an independent trade union was authorized in a socialist country. Its name: "Solidarność". The registration was preceded by dramatic weeks. A wave of strikes against price increases and for more freedom and rights had swept across Poland, and there had been arrests, intimidation and repression.

The courage and strength of the "Solidarność" trade union movement gave many GDR oppositionists hope for reforms in their own country. "Learn Polish" was one of many slogans that circulated in the GDR in the early 1980s. The SED rulers were afraid of this "Polish bacillus". They feared protests in their own country and reacted to the opposition movement in the neighboring country with openly anti-Polish propaganda. The MfS used persecution and harsh punishments against sympathizers in the GDR.

The event began with the screening of the film "Lernt Polnisch. GDR oppositionists and Solidarność" (Rosalia Romaniec and Magdalena Gwóźdź, 2016). In a subsequent panel discussion, former GDR civil rights activist and author Wolfgang Templin will discuss the history of the opposition movement with members of the "Solidarność" trade union: What was the significance of transnational solidarity between the opposition movements? How can the current political situation in Poland and Europe be viewed against this historical background? The discussion will be moderated by Doris Liebermann and will be held in Polish and German. Interpreted by Dr. Piotr Olszówka.