Fifty-four years ago yesterday, on the morning of 28 June 1956 the workers of the largest Poznań factory (Hipolit Cegielski’s factory which was at the time named after Joseph Stalin) gathered in the Wilda district and walked towards the city centre. Workers from other Poznań factories joined them on the way. Almost all city factories stopped working....
After protesters stormed the the secret police prison at Młyńska Street freed the political prisoners and got hold of weapons. The demonstration moved through Kochanowskiego Street towards the headquarters of UB secret police. This is where the first shots were fired at the protesters, starting a regular fight between the militia and the protesting workers.
According to the official statistics over 60 civilians and 10 UB soldiers were killed.
The city authorities called on the military for help and altogether over 10 000 soldiers, 400 tanks and 30 armed transporters were used in the pacification process.
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