Ryszard Kalinowski
Elblag, the city where I come from.
Elblag is a city located in northern Poland. It is situated between the Vistula Lagoon to the north and the Zulawy region to the south. The city has a population of approximately 120,000 people and is known for its attractive waterway - the Elblag Canal - which connects the Vistula Lagoon to the Masuria Lakes. The canal is a unique tourist attraction in Europe, featuring numerous locks and ramps that use water power to transport boats from one level to another.
Frombork is located 30 km from Elblag.
It is known for its historical and cultural significance, particularly as the home of the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
It was here that he developed his groundbreaking heliocentric theory, which proposed that the sun, rather than the Earth, was at the center of the universe.
A novelty is the ditch of the Vistula Spit
Elblag is also known for its rich history and architecture, with many historical landmarks and monuments dating back to the medieval era. The city has a well-preserved Old Town with beautiful Gothic and Renaissance-style buildings, such as the St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Old Town Hall, and the Gothic castle of the Teutonic Knights.
In addition, Elblag offers many cultural and recreational activities, such as museums, theaters, and parks. The city is surrounded by natural beauty, including the Vistula Lagoon, the Elblag Upland, and the nearby Masuria Lake District.
"Elbląg Solidarność" refers to the Solidarity movement in Elbląg, a city in northern Poland. Solidarity was a Polish trade union founded in 1980 by Lech Wałęsa and other workers' rights activists. It played a significant role in the overthrow of the communist government in Poland and the transition to democracy in the late 1980s.
Elbląg was one of the cities where Solidarity was strongly present. In August 1980, led by Ryszard Kalinowski, the workers' Elbląg joined the nationwide strike, demanding better working conditions and greater freedom for trade unions.
The strike quickly spread to other factories and workplaces in the city, which led to the creation of a branch of NSZZ "Solidarność" in Elbląg with Ryszard Kalinowski as the leader, who after the strikes was elected vice-president of the K.K.P.N.S.Z.Z "Solidarity" in Gdańsk.
Throughout the 1980s, the Solidarity movement in Elbląg remained active, organizing strikes, protests, and other forms of resistance against the communist government. In 1989, as part of the political reforms that led to the end of communist rule in Poland, Solidarity was legalized and allowed to participate in free elections. In the first partially free elections in Poland since World War II, Solidarity won a landslide victory, marking a historic turning point in Polish history.
Today, the Solidarity movement remains an important symbol of Poland's struggle for freedom and democracy, and the city of Elbląg is still proud of its role in the movement's history.
Ryszard Kalinowski was born in Elblag, Poland on December 21, 1952. In 1970, he participated in demonstrations, and six years later, the workers' uprising in Radom was brutally suppressed. This made Ryszard more aware of the situation and problems that arose as a result of the pro-Soviet socialist regime in Poland.
In the early 1980s, Ryszard held a leading position in Przedsiębiorstwo Budownictwa Przemysłowego in Elbląg. In 1980, he was the leader of the main strike committee in Elblag. Afterwards, he became a member of the board of Solidarność, where he was responsible for contacts with foreign countries. He was present at the signing of the August Agreement in 1980, and in 1981, he participated in a meeting with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican.
Ryszard was very active in Solidarność. As a result, he was arrested by the security police and imprisoned in Iława on the first day after martial law was declared in 1981. After several months in prison, he was released, but the oppression against him continued.
In 1984, the Stavanger municipality decided to grant asylum to ten families from the Elblag area who were forced to leave the country for political reasons. The Kalinowski family was one of them. They left with the belief that they could never return to their homeland.
Ryszard came to Stavanger with his wife Ewa and daughter. It was difficult for them to adapt to new conditions in a new country with a different culture and mentality.
The Kalinowski family received help from the Norwegian state, but also from ordinary people who helped them settle and adapt. Ryszard continued his political activity in the organization Solidaritet Norge-Polen, which directly supported the Polish Solidarność. Among other things, he helped to raise funds to support persecuted individuals in Poland.
One of the reasons Kalinowski chose Norway as a place of exile was the opportunity to find work. They wanted to learn Norwegian as quickly as possible so that they could start working and become independent of state support schemes.
Today, Ryszard still lives in Stavanger. He is an honorary leader of the Polish-Norwegian Association in Stavanger and the leader of the immigrant council in Stavanger municipality. He is also a board member of the Christian Democratic Party in Stavanger.
Stavanger,
city where I live now
This city has a very important role in the Norwegian economy, as it is one of the main centers of the oil industry in Norway. Many international oil companies have their headquarters and operational bases in and around Stavanger, making it one of the wealthiest cities in Norway.
Despite the importance of the oil industry to the city's economy, Stavanger also offers many other tourist attractions. There are numerous museums, including the interesting Norwegian Petroleum Museum. Stavanger is also known for its beautiful architecture, including the historic city center, where you can admire many colorful wooden houses from the 19th century. It's also worth visiting St. Swithun's Cathedral, one of the oldest and most beautiful cathedrals in Norway.
Within about an hour's drive from Stavanger, there are many picturesque places, including the Lysefjord and Hardangerfjord, which attract tourists from all over the world. The area around the city also has fantastic areas for climbing and trekking, such as Preikestolen and Kjerag, where you can admire stunning views of the surroundings.
In summary, Stavanger is a city with a rich history, fascinating architecture, and beautiful nature. The oil industry and tourism are the main branches of the economy in this region, making the city a great destination for both businessmen and tourists.