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Lech Wałęsa
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Lech Wałęsa is known for his valiant effort to free his native Poland from Communist rule. Born into a working-class family in 1943 in Popowo, he excelled in school. But lack of money forced Wałęsa to attend a vocational school at 16. In 1967, he moved to Gdańsk where he worked in a shipyard as an electrician. By this time, Polish workers were beginning to protest the poor conditions of life. A strike in Gdańsk in 1980 led to the formation of the National Committee of Solidarity, and Wałęsa was elected chairman. In 1990, Wałęsa was re-elected to chairman of Solidarity. His interest in serving as president in Poland became increasingly public. In the presidential election of 1990, Wałęsa won more than 74 % of the ballots, making him Poland's first popularly elected president. For his efforts, Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, among many other awards. Wałęsa has been married since 1969 and he has eight children. He is a devout Roman Catholic. |
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