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Solidarity

(Encyclopedia)Solidarity, Polish independent trade union federation formed in Sept., 1980. Led by Lech Wałęsa, it grew rapidly in size and political power and soon posed a threat to Poland's Communist government ...

Bielski, Martin

(Encyclopedia)Bielski, Martin, Pol. Marcin Bielski märˈtsēn byĕlˈskē [key], c.1495–1575, Polish historian and poet. His history of Poland, the first historical work written in Polish, was completed by his s...

Zakopane

(Encyclopedia)Zakopane zäkôpäˈnĕ [key], town (1992 est. pop. 28,600), Małopolskie prov., S Poland, at the foot of the Tatra Mts. A leading health resort and winter sports center, Zakopane was the site of the ...

Zgierz

(Encyclopedia)Zgierz zgyĕsh [key], city (1991 est. pop. 59,300), Łódzkie prov., E central Poland. A textile center, it also manufactures chemicals, textile machinery, and metals. Chartered about 1300, Zgierz gre...

Spotted swine

(Encyclopedia)Spotted swine, breed that is predominantly black with many white spots. Except for its additional white coloring, it is much like the Poland China swine, which together with Gloucester Old Spot hogs f...

Tomaszów Mazowiecki

(Encyclopedia)Tomaszów Mazowiecki tômäˈsho͞of mäzôvyĕtsˈkē [key], city (1992 est. pop. 70,000), E central Poland. It is a railroad junction and has industries manufacturing synthetic textiles and fibers, ...

Lublin

(Encyclopedia)Lublin lo͞oˈblēn [key], city (1994 est. pop. 352,100), capital of Lubelskie prov., SE Poland. It is a railway junction and industrial center. Manufactures include trucks, agricultural machinery, ch...

Kwaśniewski, Aleksander

(Encyclopedia)Kwaśniewski, Aleksander kwäshnyĕfˈskē [key], 1954–, Polish politician, president of Poland (1995–), b. Bialogard. He studied economics at the Univ. of Gdańsk, joined the Communist party at 2...

West Prussia

(Encyclopedia)West Prussia, Ger. Westpreussen, former province of Prussia, 9,867 sq mi (25,556 sq km), NE Germany, extending S from the Baltic Sea, between Pomerania on the west and East Prussia on the east. Danzig...

Luxemburg, Rosa

(Encyclopedia)Luxemburg, Rosa rōˈzä lo͝okˈsəmbo͝ork [key], 1871–1919, German revolutionary, b. Russian Poland. Her revolutionary activities forced her to flee to Switzerland in 1889, where she became a Mar...