Register of the Andrzej W. Tymowski Interview Transcripts

box 1-2

Interview Transcripts, 1987-1993.

Scope and Content Note

Arranged by language of transcript, Polish, Czech, English, and German, which reflects the order in which the transcripts were received, thereunder alphabetically by name of interviewee

Polish language

Box/Folder 1 : 1-2

Adamowicz, Pawel; 1991 April 2, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

Strike leader at the University of Gdansk in May 1988, at time of interview alderman in Gdansk and vice-rector of the university

Box/Folder 1 : 3

Adamowicz, Piotr; 1991 April 4, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

Active in the opposition (Ruch Mlodej Polski) before 1980, now a journalist for Zycie Warszawy

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Arkuszewski, Wojciech; 1991 May 5, Warsaw.

Scope and Content Note

Active since 1968, in Klub Inteligencji Katolickiej (KIK), worked closely with Komitet Obrony Robotnikow (KOR), Solidarnosc. At time of interview on the Solidarnosc National Commission

Box/Folder 1 : 5

Bartkowiak, Jacek; 1991 March 22, Slupca.

Scope and Content Note

Active in student movement during Solidarnosc, in underground activity under martial law. Edits Slupca's (bi-weekly) newspaper

Box/Folder 1 : 6

Bielinski, Konrad; 1991 May 17, Warsaw.

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Founding member of Komitet Obrony Robotnikow (KOR), NOWA, printer at Gdansk shipyard in 1980, underground during martial law

Box/Folder 1 : 7

Chlopcy z Gdanska; 1991 April 3, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

At time of interview members of the radical-action group "Dym-II," they were teen-aged couriers in the 1988 shipyard strikes, "kangaroos" who jumped the fence with supplies, letters, etc.

Box/Folder 1 : 8

Grudzinski, Wlodzimierz; 1991 April 29, Warsaw.

Scope and Content Note

Active in the opposition since 1968, worked closely with Komitet Obrony Robotnikow (KOR), Solidarnosc, and then in the underground during martial law

Box/Folder 1 : 9

Holzer, Ryszard; 1987, New Haven, Connecticut.

Scope and Content Note

Wrote for underground publications during martial law, now is political editor for Warsaw's daily, Zycie Warszawy. In the interview he described the founding and activities of Wolnosc i Pokoj (WiP), a movement of young people for conscientious objection, peace, and ecology (2 copies)

Box/Folder 1 : 10

Jankowski, Wojciech; 1991 April 6, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

Wolnosc i Pokoj (WiP) activist, first political conscientious objector to military service (1985), "strike helper"

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Jasinski, Miroslaw; 1990 October 16, Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Scope and Content Note

Active in Wolnosc i Pokoj (WiP) and Solidarnosc Polsko-Czeska (SP-Cz) (Polish-Czech Solidarity) in the 1980s. At time of interview he was attaché at the Polish Embassy in Prague. He spoke of the history of Polish-Czech opposition contacts, Polish-Czech relations generally, and political issues since 1989 (2 copies)

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Kaczynska, Elzbieta; 1991 April 30, Warsaw.

Scope and Content Note

Professor of history, took part in worker-education programs during Solidarnosc and under martial law

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Kalinowska, Izabela; 1991 December 12, New Haven, Connecticut.

Scope and Content Note

Took part in religious pilgrimages, student activities during Solidarnosc. Now lives in New Haven, Connecticut (2 copies)

Box/Folder 1 : 14

Krawczyk, Dariusz; 1991 April 6, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

Federacja Mlodziezy Walczacej (FMW) activist in Wrzeszcz, "strike helper" in 1988

Box/Folder 1 : 15

Kruk, Roland; 1991 June 22, Albany, California.

Scope and Content Note

Worked with Komitet Obrony Robotnikow (KOR), active in underground during martial law and especially with Wolnosc i Pokoj (WiP). Now lives in Sacramento, California (2 copies)

Box/Folder 1 : 16

Mazewski, Lech; 1991 April 1, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

One of the "Gdansk liberals," adviser to Premier Jan Krzysztof Bielecki

Box/Folder 1 : 17

Mocko, Marian and Maciej Tonski; 1991 April 3, Stocznia Gdanska.

Scope and Content Note

Members of the Solidarnosc committee of the Gdansk shipyard. I asked them how they assessed the changes since 1980 and then again since 1988, and how they reacted to the young "enrages" of 1988, some of whom still work at the shipyards

Box/Folder 1 : 18

Mujzel, Jan; 1991 May 27, Warsaw.

Scope and Content Note

Director of the Economics Institute, Polish Academy of Science. Discussed the social consequences of economic reform, difficulties in implementation, and future prospects (2 copies)

Box/Folder 1 : 19

Pilchowski, Jacek; 1991 December 16, Derby, Connecticut.

Scope and Content Note

Komitet Obrony Robotnikow (KOR) "contact person" in Walbrzych, 1970s. Now lives in Derby, Connecticut (2 copies)

Box/Folder 1 : 20

Stefanski, Zbigniew; 1991 April 3, Gdansk.

Scope and Content Note

"Shipyard bard" in 1988 strikes, today represents his department on the shipyard Solidarnosc committee

Box/Folder 2 : 1

Urzad Miejski Slupcy; 1991 March 22, Warsaw.

Scope and Content Note

A discussion at the town hall of Slupca, population 14,000, just northeast of Poznan. Present were the mayor, the town secretary, the editor of the post-1989 town newspaper, and two members of the Slupca Historical Society

Czech language

Box/Folder 2 : 2

Bergmann, Pavel; 1990 July 9, 1990 October, and 1991 March, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Concentration camp survivor, member of Social Democratic Party since the late 1940s, currently one of its leading figures. Professional historian. At the times of the interview, he was responsible for Poland and the German-speaking countries at foreign affairs department of Občanské Fórum. In a wider-ranging discussion, we covered relations with Poland throughout the post-World War II period, but especially in the last few years, and the formation of the Občanské Fórum from precursors in 1988-1989

Box/Folder 2 : 3

Illner, Michael; 1991 March 15, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Sociologist. Discussed the changes in politics and society from the point of view of small towns and countryside, his area of specialization

Box/Folder 2 : 4

Maťeějů, Petr; 1990 October 11, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Sociologist. Discussed the institutional/personnel changes in sociological studies

Box/Folder 2 : 5

Palouš, Martin; 1990 October 18, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Charta 77 signatory, its spokesman in 1986. At the time of the interview he was head of the Foreign Affairs department in Občanské Fórum. Earlier that week at the snem, he lost an election for Chairmanship of the Obččanské Fórum to Václav Klaus, finance minister. Discussed the philosophical, historical, and symbolic traditions of the Czech opposition

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Penc, Stanislav; 1990 October 18, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Young participant in the Velvet Revolution, Stanislav Penc was personally familiar with many leading dissidents before 1989 (he was in his late teens). At the time of the interview he was a representative of his borough's Občanské Fórum committee to the snem (Congress) of Občanské Fórum

Box/Folder 2 : 7

Šiklov, Jiřina; 1990 July-October, 1991 March 15, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Sociologist, longtime dissident, published abroad before 1989 under pseudonyms. We spoke about the experience of opposition activity in the 1970s and 1980s (samizdat, defense of prisoners, contacts with others in the East Bloc) and about the cultural/ historical/sociological background to the rise of opposition movements in Czechoslovakia. Also about the changes in the academic community before/after 1989

Box/Folder 2 : 8

Slánská, Marta; 1990 July, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

A historically significant Czech family: father Rudolf was the leading figure in the Slanský trials; brother Rudolf was Havel's ambassador to Moscow. Marta Slánská works at Lidové Noviny in the international circulation department

Box/Folder 2 : 9

Valouch, Vladimír 1990 October, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

Works "na špalčku," the Občanské Fórum headquarters in Prague, as office manager of the Foreign Affairs Department

Box/Folder 2 : 10

Vodrážka, Mírek; 1990 July 8, Prague.

Scope and Content Note

One of the editors of the underground journal Vokno, he discussed the development of political opposition in Czechoslovakia, its relation to the cultural underground (poetry, music, youth culture) and the role of symbolic traditions

English language

Box/Folder 2 : 11

Modzelewski, Karol; 1991 May 11, 1992 September 29, Warsaw and New Haven, Connecticut.

Scope and Content Note

Active in public opposition since 1956, served seven years in prison, Solidarnosc press spokesman in 1980-1981, Wroclaw Region representative on Solidarnosc National Commission. At the time of first interview he was a senator of the Polish Republic. He spoke of his experience in mass movements and gave a critical overview of the changes since 1989, especially the economic reforms

Box/Folder 2 : 12

Skwornowski, Robert; 1990 December 12, Albany, California.

Scope and Content Note

Robert Skwornowski took part in Wolnosc i Pokoj (WiP) activities in the 1980s in Szczecin. The format of this interview's questions (its sequence and the substance of the questions themselves) is a paradigm for later ones: I talked to Robert Skwornowski before leaving for my research visit to Poland and just after I composed an "interview plan." I transcribed the interview myself, directly into English from the audio tape

German language

Box/Folder 2 : 13

Frenzel, Michael; 1990 July 16, East Berlin.

Scope and Content Note

Youth outreach worker for a Berlin parish. Discussed situation of young people, political activity, and reactions to the opening of East Germany. I queried him on the role of historical awareness, traditions, and symbolic communication among GDR youth

Box/Folder 2 : 14

Klingenberg, Reinhard and Christine; 1990 July 16 and October

Scope and Content Note

Members of a Christian youth group in a Lutheran parish in the city of Jena "Peace" movement of 1982-1983. Described their early experiences with actions and communication expressing dissident views and their lives just before and during the Jena "events" (the peace movement had a brief if highly-publicized career, concluded by effective state repression)

Box/Folder 2 : 15

Mehlhorn, Ludwig; 1993 June 10, Berlin.

Scope and Content Note

Before 1989 active in Christian action in East Berlin, speaks Polish, traveled to Poland, acquainted with Znak circles. Discussed these matters, and "dealing with the past"

Box/Folder 2 : 16

Templin, Wolfgang and Lotte; 1988 August, West Berlin.

Scope and Content Note

Active in "Frieden und Menschenrechte," East Berlin opposition group. Forced into temporary exile in February 1987. Discussed prospects for future dissident activity in the GDR, relations with other East Bloc oppositionists. Speaks Polish, had traveled to Poland

Box/Folder 2 : 17

Templin, Wolfgang and Marie-Luise Lindemann; 1993 June 9, Berlin.

Scope and Content Note

Templin (as above). Lindemann was a West Berliner who worked for years in support of East Berlin dissidents; active in Alternative Liste in West Berlin. Discussed "dealing with the past" in post-GDR Germany

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