Minutes of Meeting of the PZRR CC Secretariat after Elections

In early June 1989, Poland held its first semi-free elections since the inception of Communism following the Second World War. In the first round of these elections, Poles exhibited strong anti-Communist and pro-Solidarity sentiments, surprising both sides. Immediately after the first round of these elections, the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR, i.e., Communist Party) met to discuss the disappointing and concerning results. These meeting minutes point to how the Communist leadership in Poland planned to respond to this election both publicly and privately. This document indicates that, to everyone's surprise, Communist leaders were willing to accept the results, recognized that Poles were ready for a change, and noted the weaknesses of the party.