Paula Szczypczyk

By Paula SZCZYPCZYK (1995), Kasia LENAR (1995), Renata CHOROBIK (1995), Szymon ŚWIĄTKOWSKI (1995), LOK Kraków/Poland

To ask this question, we have carried out an interview with one old lady, Ms. Maria Kowalska.

Trait d’union: Good afternoon Ms Kowalska!

Ms Kowalska : Hello, darlings!

Trait d’union: We are here to ask you a couple questions about the past.

Ms Kowalska: There is absolutely no problem. Ask me anything.

Trait d’union: What was the life like about 50 years ago? What were the life conditions like? Was it hard?

Ms Kowalska: Oh, it was during the PRL-times!

Trait d’union: Could you tell us about it?

Ms Kowalska: Sure. From 1952 to 1989 Poland was called the People’s Republic of Poland (Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa – PRL). It was a really hard time for Poland! There were many problems with almost everything. Getting food, censorship, a lot of strikes.

Trait d’union: What were the worst things?

Ms Kowalska: The worst things were associated with the food, I think. The shelves in shops were totally empty so people had to stand many hours in queues, sometimes even all day and night! It was horrible. After standing in a huge queue for food, you had to show special ration cards. Each card showed a daily portion of food per person. Everything was rationed. For example, meat, bread, milk, butter. Everything was based on propaganda. If there was something against the government, the authorities did everything to find you and put you into a jail. Poland was very backwards, because the government wanted to a create self- sufficient country, so there was no contact with the west side of Europe where everything was moving forwards.

Trait d’union: According to your declaration it was very difficult to survive at this time and to provide yourself and your family with basic necessities for life. So please tell me did you do anything to make your life better during this time?

Ms Kowalska: Oh, definitely yes. Despite the fact that there was martial law, everyone tried to improve their life conditions. There was a well-prospering Black Market on which people could buy those special cards that I’ve mentioned, food, alcohol and almost everything you needed. Black Market, cultivated on a large scale, rescued the supplies of Polish homes. People were also often made to steal different things from places where they were working.

Trait d’union: Did the people do anything to influence the actions of the authorities, you know rebellions or protests?

Ms Kowalska: First of all, there wasn’t any possibility to do this by the press, because the authorities put censorship into practice, even cards and postcards were controlled. Also TV stations were subjected to the authorities and didn’t give information about the hard living conditions. People also to make their lives better and more comfortable, were joining PZPR (the Polish United Labour Party) what wasn’t good because it made PRL stronger and more powerful. They also organized many strikes and demanded proper life, food on shops shelves.

Trait d’union: I can’t imagine what everyday life looked like in the past, but I have to express admiration for you and other people who have survived this PRL time and can transfer the information to the next generation. Thank you for the interview, it was really nice to talk to you! Goodbye.

Ms Kowalska: It was so to me, too. Goodbye.