Lech Walesa

• Born in 1943, his father was a farmer
• Walesa worked in the Gdansk shipyards
• in 1976 he was sacked from the shipyard due to comments about the organisation and the working climate
• in 1978, Walesa helped organise a trade union in another factory. He was fired
• In 1979 he worked for Eltromontage. He was said to be the best automotive electrician, but he was fired
• With others, he set up solidarity in August 1980 and became it's leader
• Walesa was a committed catholic
• in 1989 he became the first non-communist leader of Poland sine the Second World War