Paderewski in Poznań

106 years ago, on 26 December 1918, Ignacy Jan Paderewski arrived in Poznań, enthusiastically welcomed by the city's residents at the railway station. On the same day, from the balcony of the Bazar Hotel, he gave a speech to the Poznań people gathered under the hotel, which gave impetus to the outbreak of the Wielkopolska Uprising.

"Great Honourable Representatives of Wielkopolska!

Dear fellow countrymen and countrymen. Sisters and Brothers!

... For this welcome to you here and to these crowds on the street, I warmly thank you. What you cooked me up, it's not my person. I am a symbol of an idea, the same 1 that the Polish National Committee serves. As a delegate to the National Committee, I am happy that I have found specified appreciation for him. As a member, I feel happy to live to be a symbol. And for a man it is simply a large honor, even greater, that he met me here on a vast, eternal land of Wielkopolska.
About you, whom you have not been able to surpass in fulfilling national duties, in resisting the force of the powerful, which in organizational and economical work of Poland were an example. And this honor did not come to me from 1 layer, from 1 class, but from the full Wielkopolska people.

I am arrogant that as a associate of the Polish National Committee I did not belong to any party. With this bolder and more sincere present I can say that present is not the time for state and hereditary privileges. We are all children of 1 Mother, and if each of us fulfills our duty, we have equal rights to her fair care.

After long years of captivity Motherland is reborn. It must be rebuilt on the same grounds on which the first construction was started. No, the most organized organization of the Homeland can rebuild. For this work it takes unity and agreement of all, love and strength, religion and self-denial, for this work it takes all the strength and all the heart of the team.
The Polish peasant and the Polish individual will first of all rebuild Poland, and we all will, if we go with the people.
In this hope, I thank you, before God and Homeland, both dear and dear.

Long live Poland, consent, unity, and our homeland, united by our Polish coast, will live forever.”
"Kurier Poznański", 297/1918.

The following day, on 27 December in the capital of Wielkopolska, fights against German troops begin. This is how 1 of the fewer Polish uprisings wins begins and this fact, against the background of the remaining defeats of independence, should be a reason for pride and joy. The Winning Wielkopolska Uprising is simply a beautiful card of our history.

Sam Paderewski, throughout his adult life, was an undisputed star of the stage. An excellent pianist and politically active in the independency of Poland an effective diplomat. Respected in the political circles of “entents”, he contributed importantly to their designation of the Polish aspirations of independence.

Dariusz Piechaczek