A Civilian in the Uniform of the "People's" Army.

Jan Lewandowski, a professor of history and longtime lecturer at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, recalls his experiences of military service during the communist period. Between 1963 and 1988, he spent a total of more than three quarters of this period in uniform: first as a participant in military training at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, and then as a reserve soldier, called up from time to time for exercises (including martial law). The picture that emerges from the text testifies to the dire condition of the "people's" army in Poland, where shortages of equipment, absurd decisions by commanders and almost ubiquitous incompetence were an everyday occurrence. In this situation, it was mainly a sense of humour that helped to survive the difficult time of service. Numerous anecdotes circulating among the soldiers helped them unwind from the unpleasant moments, and, as the author writes, "pushed aside the moral dilemmas" which resulted from the awareness that "military training is first and foremost about learning to kill other people." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]