Lech Walesa

Lech Walesa (born September 29, 1943) is a Polish politician and a former trade union and human rights activist. He co-founded Solidarity (Solidarno), the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland from 1990 to 1995 (succeeded by Aleksander Kwa?niewski).

Walesa was born in Popowo, Poland, to a carpenter and his wife. He attended primary and vocational school, before entering Lenin Shipyard in Gda?sk (Stocznia Gda?ska im. Lenina, now Stocznia Gda?ska) as an electrical technician in 1967. In 1969 he married Danuta Go?o?, and the couple now have eight children.