The Polish TV Pirate

My project is about my own grandfather Jan Hanasz, an

astronomer from Poland's University of Torun. He was
born in 1934 In Torun, Poland, the home of
Copernicus.
During the 1980’s democracy was not allowed in Poland,
and Poland was run by a military dictatorship. My
grandfather and fellow scientists constructed a
portable TV station that was mounted on a balloon
that was broadcasting messages urging people to
boycott the elections to support democracy because
the election was rigged. The secret police were looking
all over for them but they where not aware of the
balloon. One of the balloons even fell in Communist
Russia which started an international incident.
In the end my grandfather was caught, his house was
searched and he was arrested and received a
suspended sentence.
 Political Background
After the second world war communist
dictatorship was established in Poland.
Poland was not independent but was
controlled by the Soviet Union.
People were opposed to the communist
government and kept starting protests over
the years. In 1980 solidarity movement was
born but it didn't exist very long because it
was crushed by the military dictator General
Jaruzelski with the support of Russia. Martial
law was declared in Poland.
 Telewizja Solidarność!

TV Solidarity
In September of 1985, four Astronomers
from Poland’s Copernicus University of
Toruń, Zygmunt Turło, Leszek Zaleski,
Piotr Łukaszewski and Jan Hanasz, used
a home computer, a synchronizing
circuit, and a transmitter to
superimpose messages in support of
the labour movement Solidarność
(Solidarity) over state-run television
broadcasts in Torun. The messages
said...
 “Solidarity Torun
Boycott the elections
it is our duty!”
The court case attracted huge
attention of international
media. TV journalists from
major TV station's reported the
story about prosecution of
democratic movement
although TV cameras were not
allowed in the court room.
Many news papers printed the
story in countries as far away
as the US, Canada, Israel and
Japan.
Even my mom who was still a University
student at that time got involved in the
commotion and dressed up as an old
lady to escape with some of the
broadcasting equipment during the
police search. Although the house was
surrounded by the police she managed
to escape unnoticed through the fire
exit in the basement. She ran quickly to
a taxi and got away with the equipment
to hide the evidence. The equipment
was hidden in a sack with potatoes.
 CONCLUSIONS
In the year 2007 my grandfather was honoured
during an international conference dedicated
democratic movement in Europe. Organized by the
European union.
A lot of shows and books were made about my
grandfather the most famous was called
“Spectacular Computer Crimes” by Buck
BloomBecker.
In the photo you can see my grandfather on the left.
 Bibliography
 Spectacular Computer Crimes by Buck
BloomBecker, Dow Jones-Irwin, Homewood
Illinois 60430

 Wikipedia
The End
By Ola Hanasz
http://www.polskieradio.ca