K.O.R.
The spontaneous workers revolt and protests in 1976 in Communist Poland were violently repressed by the authorities. But almost immediately, a group of intellectuals and workers banded together to form K.O.R., the Workers Defense Committee. Active from 1976 to 1981, K.O.R. produced uncensored newspapers, provided aid to fired workers, and advocated for truly independent unions that could defend workers rights. This documentary accompanies two key K.O.R. activists and provides an insiders look at these critical years and the people who would set the stage for the end of Communist rule in Poland.
Historic Interest
After World War 2, the communist Peopleâs Republic of Poland was formed, heavily influenced by the Soviet Union. In June 1976, Poland’s Communist government of the Peopleâs Republic of Poland announced dramatic increases in food prices as a response to the failing economy. The resulting June 1976 Protests set in motion a resurgence in activism and opposition, resulting in the Workers Defense Committee (K.O.R.). The documentary traces how the links forged between workers and intellectuals were consolidated in the shipyards of Gdansk in 1980, with the founding of the Polish Trade Union Solidarnosc under the leadership of Lech Walesa. In 1989, the transition to a democratic political system started, abandoning the former Communist regime.