Аннотация: A Coin of Wojciech Jaruzelski (5 złoty of 1983). A story.
A Coin of Wojciech Jaruzelski (5 złoty of 1983). A story.
Poland, 1983. A student "construction team" (from the USSR, from the city of Rostov-on-Don) is busy with something.
Students are invited to gather on a wide yard.
Several black cars pull up.
The general, head of state, gets out of the car.
He shakes hands with students from the USSR and makes a speech.
He says that active attempts are being made to solve economic problems.
The general's assistant hands him a coin.
"The new money was released. For example, 5 zlotys of 1983 issue."
The general returns the coin to the assistant.
The general continues to speak.
I move carefully closer to the assistant.
The general's speech is over.
He exchanges opinions with the people, who placed around him.
I say to the assistant: "Is it possible to exchange 5 zlotys of the general - for a USSR commemorative ruble?"
"Not. There will be no exchange. Please take this 5 zloty as a gift".
"Dziękuję!".
Such a way I had at my disposal a coin of Wojciech Jaruzelski (5 złoty 1983).
In fact - in reality - a lot of the above - was not.
The trip of Rostov students to Poland was really organized. The general really arrived for a brief greeting of the students from the USSR.
I remember his handshake and his friendly look.
There were several words of welcome addressed to the students. It was a short visit.
There were no speeches, no coins.
There were no coins - that's for sure. I don't remember any (long) speech.
There was no conversation (no any intercommunication) between me and the general's assistant.
But how would - without fiction, without elements of fantasy - I would write this story?
Both Wojciech Jaruzelski and the Polish Government (which moved to UK after 1939) have successfully lived up to free elections.
In a certain sense, Wojciech Jaruzelski can be compared with Talleyrand, with Quintus Fabius Maxim Cunktator (an ancient Roman military leader and politician, dictator), with Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. As a diplomat and politician, Wojciech Jaruzelski proved to be a successful figure. His military career is less known.
He knew how to put off the catastrophe and he waited, waited, waited - waited for a favorable situation.
He had to hand over power to those who came after free elections (he himself did not participate in the elections). He must have had mixed feelings. But (over) the supporter of Marxism-Leninism and admirer of the revolutionary-proletarian transformations of 1917, naturally, (was) dominated (by) the representative of Europe - Europe with a centuries-old (multi-thousand-year) history.
As for the coin (5 złoty of 1983), then ... I will put the coin up for sale ...
October 29, 2022 21:49
Translation from Russian into English: October 29, 2022 23:09.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Монета Войцеха Ярузельского (5 злотых 1983 года). Рассказ'.
{ 3229. Монета Войцеха Ярузельского (5 злотых 1983 года). Рассказ.
MMMCC. A Coin of Wojciech Jaruzelski (5 złoty of 1983). A story.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}