A Maluch in the petrol queue

Photo 1.

A common sight on the streets of Wrocław and other Polish cities in the 1980s.

Photo by Wiesław Dębicki (collections of the Ossolineum Library / Documents of Social Life Department)

Photo 2.

‘Słowo Polskie’ of 12 March 1984, No. 61, p. 5 (collections of the Ossolineum Library / Periodicals Department)

Photo 3.

‘Słowo Polskie’ of 12 March 1984, No. 61, p. 1 (collections of the Ossolineum Library / Periodicals Department)

Photo 4.

‘Słowo Polskie’ of 12 March 1984, No. 61, p. 3 (collections of the Ossolineum Library / Periodicals Department)

From March 1982, petrol station attendants were required to stamp special inserts into the insurance cards of drivers who came to fill up their cars, in order to curb fuel speculation. From 1 April 1984, fuel cards came into force.

Photo 5, 6.

Petrol card blanks issued to the owner of a Fiat 126p registered in Wrocław

(collections of ‘Remembrance and Future’ Centre )

Photo 7.

On 1 July 1988, the sale of petrol at commercial prices (i.e. market prices rather than government-regulated prices) was introduced at dozens of selected petrol stations across Poland.

‘Słowo Polskie’ of 27 June 1988, No. 149, p. 1 (collections of the Ossolineum Library / Periodicals Department)

Photo 8

With the end of petrol rationing, shortages and queues at petrol stations returned. The photo shows motorists in front of one of Wrocław’s petrol stations in August 1989.

Photo by NAF Dementi (collections of ‘Remembrance and Future’ Centre )