The 80’s

“In 1981, prof. Andrzej Paszewski becomes director of the Institute. He appoints prof. Włodzimierz Zagórski as deputy director for general affairs, and prof. Monika Jeżewska as deputy director for scientific affairs. Paszewski was the first director in the history of IBB who was formally elected by the Scientific Council and then approved by the Polish Academy of Sciences. This was an important change from previous practice. […] Soon the Institute had to face the challenges of the martial law, and a director who had the support of his community was better equipped to respond to this situation. […] Despite the initial shock, the Institute’s “Solidarity” did not give up, they calmly undertook illegal activities, distributed underground publications and collected union membership fees. […] We also received a peculiar distinction – General Jaruzelski, in one of his speeches, listed the Institute as a nest of enemies of the state and system, there were suggestions of abolishing the IBB, Colonel Szczygieł from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (he signed the document) ordered the expulsion of professor Shugar from Poland. It is difficult to say what could have happened, had it not been for the intervention of prof. Aleksander Gieysztor [then President of the Polish Academy of Sciences] directly with General Jaruzelski.”

Excerpt from: Włodzimierz Zagórski-Ostoja, PIĘĆDZIESIĄT LAT INSTYTUTU BIOCHEMII I BIOFIZYKI PAN, Postępy Biochemii 51 (1) 2005.

In the years preceding the fall of the People’s Republic of Poland, including the years of martial law, many IBB employees, both scientific and technical, were heavily involved in the activities of underground opposition structures. They were motivated by the belief that IBB’s mission went far beyond strictly scientific activities. Especially in times of transition, the opinion-forming role of academic institutions was very important. Giving a good example, many employees became actively involved in various underground structures: KOR, “Solidarity” or underground publishing; some were imprisoned or removed from their jobs. Thanks to mutual trust, IBB employees tunneled through their office rooms large numbers of illegally printed magazines and books. Taking advantage of the special status of academics who were allowed to travel to conferences outside the socialist world, IBB researchers used their trips to smuggle into the country the Paris “Culture” and other Polish publications that bypassed the tentacles of censorship, and they also transferred materials and money for the underground opposition.

The 80’s – film