We meet at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of Poland in Marayong, to once again celebrate the anniversary of Poland regaining independence. In the final years of World War I, a unique opportunity arose for Poland to stand out for independence. Poles took full advantage of this by creating an outline of independent statehood. The Polish diaspora worldwide – Polonia -expressed their love for their homeland by throwing the life and health of thousands of young soldiers upon the pile of freedom who showed up for its service under the banner of the Blue Army of Gen. Józef Haller. Polonia built the foundations for a free and independent homeland not only with blood. Poles in exile started to work organically and took an active part in diplomatic efforts to consolidate the Republic’s borders and rebuild its economy after 123 years of partitions.
We assumed the date of 11 November as Independence Day, but in fact, the first swallows of independence were already noticeable after the appointment of the Regency Council, which included the President of Warsaw, Prince Zdzisław Lubomirski, Archbishop of Warsaw Aleksander Kakowski and Count Józef Ostrowski. The initial actions of the Council were perceived as cooperation with the partitioning powers; nevertheless, with time, positive changes began to dominate. The Council took steps to free Piłsudski from Magdeburg and put an annulment of the German-Austrian-Ukrainian Brest Treaty, the point handing over to Ukraine, the Chełm region and part of Podlasie. Relevant, from a later perspective functioning of Independent Poland, legal acts were issued by the government, appointed by the Regency Council. They were the backbone of the Polish legal and administrative system. The Council’s merits also include meaningful symbolic gestures: overseeing the creation in Warsaw of the Polish Army (General Tadeusz Rozwadowski was appointed Chief of Staff), and firstly and most importantly, the declaration of independence of the Kingdom of Poland on 7 October 1918. 11 November 1918, members of the Council handed over military power to Józef Piłsudski, and in this way, they sealed the rebirth of the Commonwealth as a Republic.
Polish independence was formed based on agreement on the most important matters concerning the Motherland. Although there were so many differences between the Fathers of Independence, both on the political level and personal life, they did not pay attention to any interpersonal torments when they had to stand up together to define Poland’s borders. When in 1921, from the East came the Bolshevik threat, all in one line, stood up to defend the frontiers of The Brightest Republic. Beginning with Daszyński, Witos, Korfanty, Paderewski, Piłsudski and Dmowski.
Independence wasn’t given to us forever. Today we are under attack by a hybrid war unleashed by Putin through the hands of the dictator Lukashenka. This war has started in March with arrests of Polish teachers and activists from Brest and Grodno and continues until today. The first blank shots have already been fired, and stones have also flown in the direction of Polish officers. Tusk and the total opposition call for Frontex and foreigner services to be brought down to defend Polish borders. Under no circumstances can we agree to this if we do not want to lead to a second Srebrenica, where troops watched the massacre idly under the United Nations’ banners. The foreign services on our border pose the same danger as open borders for invaders.
Nevertheless, the active political support of the European Union and NATO is essential for us to win this conflict quickly. The parliaments of Latvia and Lithuania adopted laws defending their borders only with one vote against them. But, unfortunately, there are 174 traitors in the Polish Sejm. Patriotic Polonia demands that those who, when faced with a threat, are unable or unwilling to cooperate in defence of the Fatherland, were removed from holding any office in Rzeczpospolita and, in justified cases, they should be brought before an independent court. Certainly not the one that issued a shameful sentence prohibiting organising the Independence March.
Here we must thank Minister Jan Józef Kasprzyk, the Head of the Office to Affairs of Veterans and Victims of Oppression, which gave the March the character of a state celebration, which takes precedence over all assemblies held in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Thanks to this, the Independence March was calm and dignified, gathering over 150,000 Poles.
I will conclude with an observation relating to the activities of the Polonia associated with the celebration of Independence Day. I am saddened by the movements of various masquerades active during the communist regime in pro-communist universities and sports organisations. After years, they remained themself that it is possible to make capital on the Polish diaspora. Without a shame during this holiday, they took the first places on the benches and even organised their own parties – the frogs found out that horses get shoeing and put their paws up. At their request, they fit in the everlasting doctrine of a comrade Kiszczak, directive addressed to the officers of communist security services outlining the activities of the agency of influence, the main activity of which is taking over and breaking down Polish organisations seizing its property and symbols.
Patriotic Polonia, despite the efforts of disguised people, despite covid restrictions, gathers to honour this day, the day of Independence restoration. I’m glad that children, adolescents and older generations of Poles proudly raise the white-red colours, that we sing together “Poland is not yet lost while we are alive”, that we are stopping the wall behind a Polish uniform.
Long live Poland!
Long live Polonia!
Adam Gajkowski
