Martial law in Poland Martial law in Poland Martial law in Poland () refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian communist government of the Polish People's Republic drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition. Thousands of opposition activists were jailed without charge and as many as 91 killed. Although martial law was lifted in 1983, many of the political prisoners were not released until a general amnesty in 1986. Led by General of the Army Wojciech Jaruzelski and the Military Council of National Salvation ("Wojskowa Rada
Martial law in Poland order and discipline. This is the ultimate way to bring the country out of the crisis, to save the country from collapse./.../<br>I appeal to all the citizens. A time of heavy trials has arrived. And we have to stand those in order to prove that we are worthy of Poland.<br>Before all the Polish people and the whole world I would like to repeat the immortal words: <br> General Jaruzelski had ordered the Polish General Staff to update plans for nationwide martial law on October 22, 1980. After the introduction of martial law, pro-democracy movements such as Solidarity and other smaller