Kopalnia Wujek (English: "Uncle" Mine) is a coal mine in Katowice, Poland. It is widely known in Poland as the place of the massacre of striking miners in 1981 (most often referred-to by the euphemism ´Pacification´) who were members of the anti-Communist Solidarity movement.
Mining operations began in the vicinity as early as the 16th century. The "Oheim mine" (now called Wujek) was established in 1899 by a merger of six mining operations existing in Silesia (then a part of Germany). The German´s called the mine Oheim.
The peak Polish production was in 1979 (3.88 million tons that year). Currently, the Wujek mine produces sub-bituminous coal with a typical energy content of 30000-31000 kJ/kg, volatile content of 30-31%, ash content of less than 5%, and sulfur content of less than 0.6%.
THIS PROPAGANDA STAMP SET WAS ISSUED BY THE POLISH UNDERGROUND SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT AS A DIVERSIFICATION STATEMENT AGAINST MARTIAL LAW WHICH HAD BEEN DECLARED BY THE COMMUNIST AUTHORITIES IN POLAND. IT IS A VERY RARE AND COLLECTABLE ITEM . THE UNDERGROUND MEMBERS WHO ISSUED THIS STAMP RISKED A LOT, BECAUSE IF CAUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED WITHOUT TRIAL. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A UNIQUE PIECE OF HISTORY. IT IS A MUST FOR EVERY SERIOUS HISTORIAN AND COLLECTOR OF THIS PERIOD AND WILL MAKE AN INTERESTING ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.
General Wojciech Jaruzelski announced the introduction of martial law in a speech first broadcast on radio and television at 6:00 am on December 13, 1981. In order to isolate members of the opposition (from the Solidarity movement), 52 internment centers were created. A total of 10,132 internment orders were issued against 9,736 people during the period of martial law.
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