Lech Walesa – Twenty years later

Crippled by a low education, a poor background and still managing to become President of Poland, Lech Walesa has become the Polish archetype of a self made man. Adam Kinaszweski, author of his biography and film director, guides us through the extraordinary life of Walesa as a shipyard worker, an Union spokesman and a politician. Starting of as an electrician in the Gdansk shipyards, he became a head figure of the Free Trade Union Solidarity. His political connections and straightforward thinking led him to become president, but what did his co workers, friends and enemies think of his new political role?

About Lech Walesa

After his military service, Lech Walesa started off as an electrician at the Gdansk shipyards in 1967. During the Polish 1970 protests, he unexpectedly became a spokesperson for the workers. The strike coordinating committee legalized itself as the coordinating committee of Free Trade Union Solidarity, with Walesa as their chairman. Solidarity was the first independent trade union in the Soviet bloc. In 1983, Walesa received the Nobel Peace Price. He was elected as president over Tadeusz Mazowieki in 1990 and he served as president until 1995