Agnieszka Holland

Martial law. I was outside Poland when the martial law was introduced. I left for Sweden for two weeks. For one week I had some meetings scheduled there with the audience because “Provincial Actors” were to be distributed by DKF. And, by the way, this was a kind of a tour of the country. A young Swedish journalist was accompanying me. He was also a correspondent in Poland and his name was Peter Jonson. Taking the opportunity, we were also speaking about the situation in Poland. It was the period of Solidarity characterised by a lot of tensions but also high hopes. The Swedes were interested in that. I remember that I had this moment 6. I was in Kirun, somewhere beyond the polar circle, and I realized while answering some question from the audience what will happen, that there will be some catastrophe and I even used the term “state of emergency”. Back then we couldn’t believe they will introduce martial law. On 14th or 16th, I can’t recall exactly, my husband was to come with my daughter and we were planning to spend Christmas with our family in Sweden. My father’s sister emigrated after 1968 with her family and I had cousins in Göteborg and Karlstadt. So, I called them on 6th and asked them to come earlier. Unfortunately, they couldn’t because they had ferry tickets, visas, etc. Anyway, they couldn’t get to Sweden before 13th December. So, on 13th December I was in Göteborg. My cousin picked me up and I didn’t know about the introduction of the martial law at the time. He asked me what I thought will happen to Poland. I said something funny, like finis Polonia or something like that. And he gave me such a strange look because he thought that my reaction to such dramatic circumstances wasn’t serious enough. We came to his apartment and there my other cousins had been already waiting for us. The TV was on and I saw tanks in the streets of Warsaw. I was shocked. I hesitated what to do for a couple of days. At the time I was one of a few a little popular people in Sweden so the journalists just kept asking me questions. I was hesitating for a couple of days should I say something or not. Finally, I decided to take a stand. And this Swede’s reaction encouraged me to do that. I went to Stockholm to consult with some people what to do and he was waiting for me at the railway station. He had been crying so much and I thought that if this Swede is really devastated, I can’t be thinking of myself and I should rise to speak. I did give a few interviews that were later a bit manipulated by the reporters, made more acute, so to say. Manipulation is perhaps a too strong word for that. And it was all clear that I have nothing to go back to.