Wigelia

Jenny Campbell

Christmas in Poland during the 1970s was not exactly a season of comfort and joy. People were still queuing for meat at four o'clock in the morning, supermarket shelves were full of jam and vinegar and not much else, antibiotics could only be bought with American dollars and shopkeepers seemed to take a particular delight in saying 'nie ma' (no more) just as you reached the counter.

Conditions were aggravated by cramped living accommodation with up to three generations of a family having to live together in small, cheerless apartments. And, as the cold war entered a new, more dangerous phase, fear and suspicion were almost palpable on the streets of Warsaw. ... (continues)