How did we win the Warsaw Uprising? Of course not on the streets – because we know how this armed uprising ended in 1944. Michał Płociński, together with Estera Flieger, historical journalist and regular columnist for “Rzeczpospolita”, take a look at the memory of the Uprising. And how we turned defeat into victory.
80th Anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. Estera Flieger recalls Lech Kaczyński’s speech
“We are about to witness a historic event. An event that Polish society had to wait for a very long time. Much too long (…). For several decades, despite constant campaigns, convincing society of the senselessness or even criminality of the uprising, August 1 was the only authentic national holiday celebrated in Poland. The crowds at the Military Cemetery, monuments, masses, and in later years also marches, were an expression of this understanding,” said Lech Kaczyński, opening the Warsaw Uprising Museum just before the 60th anniversary of its outbreak in 2004.
Anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising: The most popular anniversary in the calendar
The memory of the two months of the uprising still animates our imagination, arouses emotions and provokes discussions. Human thoughts and emotions overcome the passage of time – September 1, 1939 is ancient history for us, but August 1, 1944 seems much closer, although in reality only five years separate them.
– I recommend reading the entire speech by President Lech Kaczyński, because it was exceptional. He spoke beautifully about the history of Polish uprisings, about the generation that participated in the Warsaw Uprising, about its upbringing – Estera Flieger assesses. – He beautifully created a bridge from the revolution of 1905, from earlier uprisings, to the Warsaw Uprising – she adds.
