The Wall fell thanks to Solidarność

The daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reminds readers that the Wall would never have fallen without the Polish Solidarność freedom movement: "It's difficult to discuss the facts. And the fact is that the Berlin Wall came down spectacularly. But it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for Solidarność [the Solidarity trade union], the strikes at the Gdańsk Shipyard, [the Polish freedom fighter] Lech Wałęsa, the round table [at which the communists and the opposition negotiated the transfer of power in Poland] and the elections of 4 June 1989 [the first half-free elections in Poland]. Nowadays 9 November 1989 symbolises the fall of communism for the average Western European citizen. And today this belief is reaffirmed because German Chancellor [Angela] Merkel has organised lavish celebrations to be attended by all the major international figures except [US President] Barack Obama."

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