The poster commemorates the first year of Solidarity’s existence. Solidarity did not survive long, however, as a legal organization. In December 1981 the communist government proclaimed Martial Law. After this Solidarity was proscribed and had to continue its activity underground. The poster ‘Solidarity’s First Year’ was issued before the proclamation of Martial Law. It depicts a hand in a gesture of freedom and victory with a crowd in the background. The image is juxtaposed with Solidarity’s logo, which was inspired by an image of people joined together in a dense crowd. The gesture emphasized the fact that from the very beginning Solidarity was a peaceful movement which avoided armed confrontation with the enemy in favor of negotiations.

Solidarity, founded in September 1980, was the first free trade union in an Eastern Bloc country. It became the leading political force opposing the communist regime in Poland. Eventually the Polish Government was forced to negotiate with the Solidarity-led opposition, resulting in semi-free elections on 4th June 1989. This marked a crucial stage in the democratic transformation of Central and Eastern Europe.