Wojciech Jaruzelski

Jaruzelski, Wojciech (1923– ), Polish general and politician, appointed both premier and Communist party leader in 1981 to resolve the crisis involving the independent trade union Solidarity. He arrested the Solidarity leaders and imposed martial law, but he was unable to remedy the country's economic difficulties. In 1985 he became president under a new system of government and resigned as premier. In Sept. 1990 he indicated his intention to step down in order that an election might take place. In 1996 he and eleven others had to appear in court for violently crushing a workers' revolt in 1970, in which 44 people were killed.