UWP & THE IRON CURTAIN

Thoughts on my time with UWP in Poland

There is something I have been thinking about for several years now - ever since the "iron-curtain" fell in the late 80's. The more I have thought about it the more I think I have hit on something that has NEVER been mentioned by anyone on any UWP site I have seen, possibly never even discussed by UWP Alumni. I don't have time to put all my thoughts down at this time, but let me tell you briefly what it is:

I have pondered on what effect UWP had in felling that great and terrible veil the world called the "iron-curtain". I think far greater of an influence than we, or anyone else, ever thought.

We were the first singing group from the "west" that was invited or allowed to visit Poland, Yugoslavia and other areas under communist rule. I can speak about Poland, because I went there. I noticed how people in the government, and the regular guy on the street was apprehensive at first of this group infiltrating their people. I filmed a one hour meeting with the Minister of Media and filmed the faces of the people on the street.

I will never forget the faces of the crowd of about a hundred people who watched us strike the stage after our show in a park in Warsaw. Mostly young people. Some holding their infants. Some stared unbelieving at what they just witnessed. I saw tears, a lot of them. We couldn't speak polish well, but we had the show translated on a screen behind the cast. I looked into their eyes. As a cameraman for UWP I was trained to look deep into the faces and eyes of people. I was struck with the feeling that something very powerful was in their hearts, and just waiting to be released like the floodgates of a dam.

I was expected to film times like this: emotion towards our troupe. I couldn't do it. I couldn't point the large 16mm camera on my shoulder to their face and press the button to catch their tears. It was too special, too private, too sacred.

I commented to someone in the cast, or maybe it was just to myself: "Something I see in their faces tells me that something is going to happen. Something big." They saw something in the Up With People show that touched a very real part of them. It showed in their eyes. I mean it.

Anyway, UWP was an international group with many races, religions and nationalities. We were positive, pretty clean cut, and full of life. They wanted what we had. They had it too, just it was all pent up inside. Waiting to fly. Those who saw and spoke with members of the crew and cast realized that most, if not all, of the typical propaganda that they had been told all of their lives - was false. There WAS goodness coming from the west.

In a way it is ironic that UWP was the first singing group to visit communist countries. If a typical rock band was allowed to come in first, well, there probably wouldn't be a second. Because we were first others were allowed to come in. We weren't supposed to sell albums and literature but after we explained that selling albums was the only way some cast members could earn money to travel with the group, the officials turned their heads. We sold albums, the first albums sold that wasn't on the black market.

Within a few years, if not months, SOLIDARITY was formed. I am sure it would have formed anyway, or would it? I do think our timing was just right. The people were ready to sacrifice for their freedom.

Well, the rest is history. And now UWP is disbanded (2003). I wonder how much more we need it now in the world. I never really thought of UWP as a group from the "west", but I guess we were mostly from free nations. What new life could we give to the world if we were in full swing like we were in '76? Back then we had nine casts touring the world. I filmed highlights from them all, from the Superbowl halftime to Indy 500, from Florida to California, across Poland and a lot of points in between. Not that the west has something to preach to the east, but rather a new way of cooperation and understanding differences. Allowing the differences to enhance life instead of isolating and baricading people.

I don't mean to say that we are right and they are wrong. Heck no. There is a LOT of wrong in a free society. Those who would tear down the USA never stop echoeing our wrongs. "Look at the crime and evil that has befallen the USSR". Yes, they are right. And the west has a lot to work on to correct it's problems. But free thought and personal choice is always a higher road than tyranny and forced behavior. I wish Bush and others would somehow admit that we aren't perfect. Admit that we have faults. Perhaps other cultures can help us with that. But the honorable foundation of a free society may help them as well. We can all learn from each other. Why, oh, why do we need to fight over differences?

I write this on the eve of a giant rumor of war. It is hanging over our heads like a giant weight. We talk of preparing for terrorist attacks. How, or what do we need to do to soften the sinister desires of those who would inflict such evils? Go to war? Fight more? I think not. I am not saying Sadam's evil ways shouldn't be thwarted or curtailed. The evils of the world do need to be turned - for the betterment of all mankind. But do we do it with might and force? Or is there a better way? I don't have all of the answers, but I think that much of the message of UWP during the sixties and seventies is needed today. Helping to heal wounds instead of infecting them.

 Thanks for your time. Michael
March 08, 2003.