The Actiuities of "Solidarność" during the 'Carnival' and the State of Martial Law under the Spanish Press

Abstract

The following work showcases the reactions of the Spanish press to the actions of “Solidarity” in the years 1980-1983. The principal aim of this article is to depict the polish socio-political scene as seen from the perspective of the Spanish journalists. The young Spanish democracy, with its free press, was confronted with the actions of the Independent Unions which later gave birth to NSZZ “Solidarity”. Therefore, the key issue in this work is the influence of the emerging democratic awareness of the Spanish correspondents on the way the social changes in Poland, a country whose road to democracy may seem similar, were perceived. However, emerging from the scale of both transformations were some major differences that largely influenced the attitude of the Spanish press towards the situation in Poland. The importance of the “Solidarity” actions in the world’s geopolitical context is the subject of the following analysis. This article quotes the most popular newspapers from that time, such as La Vanguardia, El Paris and ABC.