Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers, Gdansk

In Gdansk, the main feature of Solidarity Square is the towering 42-meter-tall Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970. This monument is a tribute to the 42 or more individuals who lost their lives during the December 1970 disturbances in the Coastal Cities. These protests were triggered by sudden increases in the prices of food and other basic goods and were harshly suppressed by the Polish People's Army and the Citizen's Militia, leading to over 40 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries.

Unveiled on December 16, 1980, near the entrance to the then Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, the Monument was established following the Gdańsk Agreement. It holds the distinction of being the first memorial for victims of communist rule built in a communist nation, a feat made possible only after the Agreement was signed. Financial support for its construction came from the striking workers, residents, and contributors from across Poland.

The government tried to delay and rename the monument to honor fallen policemen, but faced resistance. The Monument Committee overcame obstacles and unveiled it on the tenth anniversary of the 1970 events with a piece by Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki commissioned by Lech Wałęsa.

The monument features three crosses, each 42 meters tall and weighing 36 tons, with a two-ton anchor hanging from each. At its base, some reliefs depict the lives of shipyard workers. It also includes a quote from Psalm 29 and a part of Czesław Miłosz's poem "Who You Wronged."