The violence and high drama of this film is taken directly from recent Polish history. On December 13, 1981 national security forces swoop down on unsuspecting workers of the Wujek mine and arrest a Solidarity leader. Pushed to the limits, the miners call a massive strike, which is specifically forbidden under the martial law. A battle between the heavily armed police and the outnumbered miners ensues, and nine miners are killed.—Polish Cinema Database <http://info.fuw.edu.pl/Filmy/>

The film recreates the events following the declaration of martial law by the Polish Army, in December 1981, and the arrest by the police (Milizia) of the main leaders of the Solidarity Movement that was unifying sectors of the opposition to the regime, namely in trade-unions and the Catholic church. The civil unrest spread quickly, namely among the mining companies, but was stifled without much trouble - but for a particularly resilient mine, where the workers, united by their common Catholic faith, conduct a fierce opposition that only extreme force would eventually overcome.—Artemis-9