Interned in 1981–1982: diaries and memoirs from internment camps

In brief

• The first accounts of internment appeared while martial law was still in force, outside censorship: Tadeusz Mazowiecki's „Internowanie” (Internment) was published in 1982 by the underground publisher Krąg¹.
• The diary of Andrzej Drzycimski and Adam Kinaszewski, signed with the shared pseudonym Jan Mur, came out first in English (1984) and in Polish from the Instytut Literacki in Paris (1985)^2,3.
• The Białołęka camp is shown in a portfolio of photographs, „Internowani: Białołęka '82”, and in the book „My, internowani…”, which includes a list of internees^4,5.
• Bogumił Studziński was also interned at Białołęka, from 13 December 1981 until July 1982^6,7.

This list covers books that the National Library of Poland catalogue describes with the subject headings “Internowani” (internees) or “Obóz dla internowanych Białołęka” (Białołęka internment camp) and that concern internment under martial law in 1981–1982. They are ordered by year of publication. The descriptions give the title, publisher and length according to the National Library catalogue; we do not review the books. All are in Polish; one also appeared in English.

1. Tadeusz Mazowiecki, „Internowanie” (1982)

An account of internment, published while martial law was still in force by the underground publisher Krąg (Warsaw 1982, 33 pages)¹. A second edition appeared in London in 1983, from the Aneks publishing house⁸.

2. „Internowani: Białołęka '82” (1982)

Not a book but a portfolio of 20 photographs from the internment camp at Białołęka, published by “CDN” (Warsaw, most likely 1982 according to the catalogue)⁴. A Kraków version with 21 photographs appeared in 1983⁹.

3. Jan Mur, „Dziennik internowanego” (1985)

A diary covering December 1981 to December 1982 (the title means An internee's diary). According to the National Library catalogue, “Jan Mur” is the shared pseudonym of Andrzej Drzycimski and Adam Kinaszewski. The Polish edition was published by the Instytut Literacki in Paris (1985, 199 pages, “Biblioteka »Kultury«”, vol. 405)³. A year earlier an English translation had appeared: A prisoner of martial law: Poland 1981–1982, translated by Lillian Vallee (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984)².

4. Antoni Pawlak, „Książeczka wojskowa” (1991)

According to the National Library's subject headings, it concerns the internment camps at Białołęka, Darłówko and Jaworze and compulsory military service. Published by Spółka Wydawnicza Jopa (Kielce 1991, 198 pages)¹⁰.

5. Roman Górski, „Dziennik z internowania 1981–1982” (1991)

Full title: „Dziennik z internowania 1981–1982: Krasnystaw — Włodawa — Kwidzyn” (A diary of internment 1981–1982), a record from three successive places of detention. Published in Boston (1991, 121 pages, illustrated)¹¹.

6. Maria Sierotwińska-Rewicka, „Internowana czyli Pamiętnik podwójnie pisany” (2006)

The memoir of an interned woman, written jointly: the title page is signed by Muzia Sierotwińska-Rewicka and Berenika Rewicka-Ładysz. Published by Wydawnictwo Jagiellonia (Kraków 2006, 141 pages, illustrated)¹².

7. „My, internowani… Białołęka 1981–1982” (2011)

A large-format (34 cm), illustrated book about the Białołęka camp; concept and editing by Wojciech Borowik. It includes a list of internees. Published by the Stowarzyszenie Wolnego Słowa (Warsaw 2011, 123 pages)⁵. Second, corrected edition: Warsaw 2016 (the catalogue record also gives 2017)¹³.

Bogumił Studziński at Białołęka

On 13 December 1981 Bogumił Studziński was interned at the Warsaw-Białołęka internment centre; he was released in July 1982^6,7. By then he had already been through a Stalinist prison in the 1950s, which he described in his memoir W lochach socjalizmu — the book does not cover his internment. 13 December 2026 marks 45 years since martial law was declared; the anniversary is in our anniversary calendar.