The March Events in Poland (or March 1968, Students' March or Polish 1968 political crisis) were a a series of student protests in Socialist Poland in 1968 as people demanded a socialist democracy, workers' control and an end to the governments anti-semitic policies. It was part of the many global revolts and episodes of unrest in the world at the time that also hit USSR-aligned countries.
Background
Poland had experienced the most unrest out of any USSR-aligned country, with major protests in 1956 and an underground intellectual movement arguing for less restrictions in education and on the media.
In 1967, Israel fought a war with Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan. The USSR and its allies supported the anti-Israeli countries, and Poland began an "Anti-Zionist" campaign involving purging Jews from the Communist Party, media and government and the government became increasingly nationalistic, advocating for a "Polish way to socialism". The government began to look for Jews in the country and made lists. Angered by this, a crash in meat production, wage cuts, increase in working hours, boredom and anger at a lack of liberalisation since 1956 led to an angry population.
Some have argued that the top of the Communist Party were simply trying to eliminate opposition.
Events
Warsaw Protests
Following the cancellation of an old play (the government claimed was too religious and Russophobic) a petition was submitted to parliament by a student protesters. Soon, the Polish Writers' Union condemned the ban and other restrictions of freedom of speech, as well as the governments anti-semitism. After the removal of dissidents from the university of warsaw, a protest at the university was attacked by police. But soon, universities across the country had protests. The protesters were socialists (often Marxist-Leninist) but called for democratisation of the country.
Across the Country
Protesters were beaten and tortured across the country, and universities attempted to form a coalition with eachother and get the workers to join them in a general strike. But this failed. On the 15th of March, a 20,000-strong worker-student alliance in Gdańsk fought 3,700 police into the night. Despite the protests being centered in universities, it was mainly composed of young factory workers and high school students.
Repression
The media heavily slandered the protesters and often claimed them to be Jewish or agents of imperialism. Thousands of protesters were arrested and leaders were targeted (although May Day parades were disrupted) 15,000 Jews left the country and sadly the government apologised in 1988.