Word: poznan
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...prolonged, early-morning blast of locomotive whistles in the Polish industrial city of Poznan that set off a revolt heard round the world. At 7 a.m. one day last week some 30,000 machinists, founders, fitters and laborers of all callings assembled at the locomotive, railroad-car and metallurgical factories on Poznan's outskirts. They were orderly but they were determined, and they had a grievance...
What had been a peaceful mass meeting quickly became a riot. Three truckloads of police, who had been standing by, were mobbed and disarmed. The workers then roared off to Poznan jail to look for their delegates. In the jail they found no delegates, but plenty of political prisoners. They released the politicals and burned the prison records. Still looking for the missing delegation, they marched on the security police headquarters. Here they were driven back by fire hoses...
...this time, armed workers had taken up tactical positions on neighboring rooftops and were pinning down the guards with their fire. The guards replied with submachine guns. Other strikers went to Poznan's two railroad stations, closed them down, barricaded highways leading into Poznan with overturned automobiles and furniture. Another group smashed Poznan's powerful radio transmitter, and tossed out the electronic equipment used to jam broadcasts from the West...
Come to the Fair. The strikers counted on one thing in their favor: an international trade fair was being held in Poznan, and the city was crowded with foreign visitors. Groups of young strikers converged on the fair, tore down the Soviet flag and raised banners bearing such slogans as "Down With This Phony Communism!" and "Russians Get Out!"−as well as appeals for higher wages, for freedom, and for the release of Cardinal Wyszynski (Primate of Poland, under arrest since September 1953). Any Westerner they saw (easily distinguishable by being better dressed) they greeted hopefully. "This...
...keep so large an outburst from getting further out of hand. An official statement attributed the revolt to "imperialist agents and a reactionary underground," charged that the rioting bore "the imprint of a large-scale and carefully prepared provocative and diversionary action." Communist Premier Jozef Cyrankiewicz, rushing down to Poznan, promised severe punishment for those captured with weapons. Cried Cyrankiewicz: "Everyone who raises his hand against the people may be sure that it will be hacked...