#1
On solidarity, or thank You!
On the „N” cell (maximum security) one doesn’t get much contact with the outside world. Its easy to fall into paranoia and delusions. You can turn on the radio, with auditions chosen by the administration. But for us , who act with the political motive program on the radio eska or vox is not very satisfactory, and in my case eska only intensified states of depression. I do not know if it is appropriate to start on a humorous note. But I came back from prison, and its like coming back from another planet, where You were stuck not knowing for how long, in the midst of the environment and the phenomenons that You have zero control over.
In such isolation, as an „N” cell, a person can only rely on faith and hope. This is torment for someone who is trying to see the world rationally. These terms do not belong to scientific world. Faith and hope do not require critical thinking, are hostile to it. Someone who believes, doesn’t doubt. Faith can justify everything, every crime, every falsehood. But there are some situations when you are left with just faith. For me it was the belief in solidarity. I held to it tightly to fight with a sense of hopeless loneliness.
There will be time to discuss all the events deeper. In fact, the situation (contrary to what many assume) is not just about the three of us and attempt to set one or two police cars ablaze. Surveillance done by the police and secret services, is ranging on a much larger scale, at least nationwide, and cooperation with the services of other countries can’t be ruled out neither. This is the first thing i would like You all to be aware of. Repression often do not need to touch us directly, may affect our loved ones. Currently, it does not seem that we have any other way except through solidarity to build structures that are capable of rapid and effective response to upcoming reprisals. Despite the different topics covered on a daily basis by various individuals and groups. The police and services do not bother to dispute whether the actions are “more or less” legal. Showing solidarity, we must work together, no matter what social issues and forms of struggle are our main field. I realized this for real in the slammer, and that this solidarity was the object of my faith and hope. I was not disappointed. Response, not only Polish, but from all over Europe (I have to confess) exceeded my expectations. Help and words of support came not only from Warsaw, Krakow, Lublin, Poznan, or Jaworzno but also France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Lithuania and Russia. To be clear – in prison I did not receive even 10% of the letters sent to me. There were dozens of them, I got a few. For two months I didn’t receive any messages, only information from the prosecutor’s office about the refusal of visit.
It is thanks to support from all over Europe (and the sluggishness of the public prosecutor) how I got out of jail. Thank you. But this is not the end of the Warsaw three case, nor the end of the activities of the state aimed at us. We can’t be intimidated, abandon activities inspired by our ideas. Prepare for an increased wave of repression to which the state already secured their legal tools. Already there were attempts to blackmail, intimidate or expulse our friends. We will be easily shattered and divided, if we do not feel confident that in the difficult situation of conflict with the state, we can count on the support and solidarity. Regardless of the level of personal relations or familiarity. Let’s inform each other when all sorts of services harass us, our friends, or families. Publicize every such a case, trust in help, support, and solidarity. Above all, show it.
This letter doesn’t say much about things, that You all probably want to find out. There will be time for that. This letter is a „thank You”, to all and each, who have showed solidarity, wrote letters, collected money, spoke about the case in the country or internationally. Its a „thank You”, to those who corrected punctuation in texts, did Wawa3.noblogs.org page, translated articles, drove through Europe organizing fundraisers. Especially to those few people who have devoted every spare moment to think about us, who have spared no action, often having to stand in the difficult situation of inside conflict and risking the loss of others sympathy, make hard decisions just to help us get out of prison. This small group has been successful. It pulled us out of jail doing a tremendous job. I will never forget that. You turned the defeat into victory (even if it was just one of the many battles that we will have to fight in the future).
Freedom! Equality! Mutual Aid! – Always.
One of the Three
#2
To be perfectly honest (that is to the extent the situation allows it), I have to admit and confess doing something I feel ashamed about. In the days following my getting arrested, I called empathy and solidarity in question: I who have shouted on so many occasions that “Solidarity is Our Weapon!”. I answered the first letter that reached me with aggression. I want to apologize to all those who have fallen „victim” to my taking my anger out – this was the case with a couple of exchanges in the beginning. I also want to apologize to anyone who has faced hardship or bad consequences due to my case. I feel forever grateful and indebted to those who have been writing, collecting, speaking, remembering. It’s thanks to you that I’m here now, with my family and my close ones. Thank you.
While in prison, I reached a state in which it didn’t seem to matter when, and if, I’d ever leave the inside. The lack of any kind of conversation with another person or closeness: these are the reasons, I think, for my doubting that solidarity we’ve been fighting for. What happened to me made me realize truly what Solidarity is. It’s about one person helping another, and being there for someone even if you don’t know them.
I’d like to be able to meet everyone who have taken interest in this case and answer any questions, to tell the story from my perspective. Sadly, I cannot do so until the case is closed. We all have to remember though, that we’ll most probably never know the whole truth about it.
It’s only now I’m receiving all the letters and cards. In prison, I got three out of the forty that had been sent. Only now am I learning about all the solidarity actions throughout Europe: Russia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy. I answer the letters I can answer, I thank the people I get to see. I know there are lots and lots of people who did not know me and still helped, and that I will most likely never meet them or be able to thank them in person for what they’d done for me. If this message should reach you somehow – thank you.
It’s thanks to those who were there for me that I held it out psychologically. Solitary cell, cameras over the bed, under the shower, in the toilet. Before leaving the cell at any one time, one has to strip naked. Contact allowed only with the wardens. Two books per week. Red clothes and hands always cuffed behind the back when outside the cell. The air vent keeping me awake. No intimacy, no talking, no companionship. Thanks to those rare letters I knew there was someone out there, waiting and not forgetting.
Thank you so much again and see you, I hope.
Solidarity Is Our Weapon!
One of the Three