Top 15 Lech Wałęsa Quotes

President of Poland from 1990 to 1995 (born 1943)

Lech Wałęsa (born 29 September 1943) is a Polish politician, trade union organizer, philanthropist and human rights activist, who became the first democratically elected President of Poland (1990–1995) after the fall of the People's Republic of Poland. He is well known for his unintentionally humorous remarks.

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Alternative Names: Wałęsa • Lech Walesa • L.Wałęsa • L.Wałesa • Lech Walensa

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Similar: Winston Churchill 39.0% Harry S. Truman 38.0% Otto von Bismarck 37.7% Robert A. Heinlein 37.4% Ronald Reagan 37.3% Mark Twain 37.1% Adolf Hitler 37.0% Dennis E. Taylor 37.0% George Orwell 37.0% Ralph Ellison 37.0%

Source: Mariusz Urbanek, "Jestem za, a nawet przeciw", in: Helge Hesse, W 80 powiedzeń dookoła świata, Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie, Wrocław 2009,

I am for, and even against.

I turned around by 360 degrees.

Dokonałem zwrotu o 360 stopni.

Positive pluses and negative pluses.

Dodatnie i ujemne plusy.

It is good that it came out that bad.

Dobrze się stało, że źle się stało.

Wenn Deutschland noch einmal Europa destabilisiert dann wird Deutschland nicht mehr geteilt, sondern von der Landkarte gefegt werden. Ost und West haben die notwendige Technik, um dieses Verdikt auch vollstrecken zu können. Wenn Deutschland wieder anfängt, bleibt keine andere Lösung. - From the report of the German magazine DER SPIEGEL 15/1990 about an interview of Wałęsa by Dutch weekly Elsevier of 7 April 1990, which was partially reprinted, with an additional Pancho caricature, by French Le Monde

If once again Germany destabilizes Europe, then Germany will be not be divided again, but wiped off the map. East and West have the necessary technology in order to enforce this verdict. If Germany begins again, there is no other solution.

I am convinced that Germany has drawn conclusions [from World War II] and Europe has drawn conclusions as well. And I can say an unpopular thing. If once again Germany should risk destabilizing Europe, then there would be no division of Germany — it would simply be blown off the map of Europe. With the kind of technology that exists, with the kind of experiences we have had, there can be no other way — and the Germans know it.

One could say I was goofy somewhere, and maybe even outed someone, but not that I was an agent. Not that I wanted to betray anybody. (...) I swear, and damn me if I lie.

Można powiedzieć, że byłem gdzieś niezręczny, może nawet kogoś wsypałem, ale nie to, że byłem agentem. Nie to, że chciałem kogoś zdradzić (...) Przysięgam i niech mnie szlag trafi, jeśli kłamię.

I was arrested many times. The first time, in December 1970, I signed 3 or 4 documents. Most probably I'd sign anything then, except consent for the betrayal of God and Fatherland, to get out and be able to fight. I have never been broken and I have never betrayed the ideals or my comrades.

Aresztowano mnie wiele razy. Za pierwszym razem, w grudniu 1970 roku, podpisałem 3 albo 4 dokumenty. Podpisałbym prawdopodobnie wtedy wszystko, oprócz zgody na zdradę Boga i Ojczyzny, by wyjść i móc walczyć. Nigdy mnie nie złamano i nigdy nie zdradziłem ideałów ani kolegów.

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