We have written several times in our pages that a plaque commemorating the victims of the Smolensk air disaster would be installed on the defensive walls at Kubika Street in Bolesławiec. It turns out, however, that some members of Bolesławiec’s right wing do not like this location.
A letter on the matter was sent to Mayor Piotr Roman by: Law and Justice councillor Jan Russ, Ryszard Łoś of the “Gazeta Polska” Club, and Fr Edward Bober. “Poles died there,” Jan Russ explains in an interview with “ii.” “This is not about elevating President Kaczyński or the Law and Justice MPs, although for me this is a particularly painful loss. People from Platforma, PSL and SLD also died there, as did bishops and generals—in short, people of the highest calibre.
“And it is good that there is an intention to commemorate them,” the PiS activist continues. “But on a wall it is like on a fence. There is no proper access to this place; where are we to position standard-bearers, where are we to lay wreaths? And Bolesław Kubik was a captain in the Security Office. On Smolensk soil, people murdered by the NKVD and Stalin died. The highest representatives of the Polish nation flew there in 2010 to pay tribute to them and died. If, therefore, we want to commemorate the latter, a more dignified place must be found.
According to J. Russ, the square on Bankowa Street, by the city pond, would be ideal. “There is a milestone there. It is a beautiful square. There would be room there for standard-bearers and for laying wreaths,” he says. And he stresses: “My intention is not to politicise this fact, but to place a plaque for Poles in a dignified location.
Gdzie powinna zostać zamontowana tablica smoleńska?
“I am categorically opposed to any change of location,” says Bolesławiec City Council councillor Eugeniusz Jabłoński, the originator, initiator and author of the design for the plaque commemorating the victims of the Smolensk air disaster. He stresses that approval has already been granted by the provincial conservator of monuments.
He adds: “We even have the Minister of National Defence’s approval to place the military checkerboard emblem on the plaque. What is more, the Ministry spoke very positively about our community initiative.
According to E. Jabłoński, the defensive walls at Kubika are a proper location: “It is a patriotic corner of sorts, because there are plaques commemorating war children and Holocaust victims there. Now there will also be a plaque commemorating the victims of the Smolensk air disaster.
What do you think about all this? We invite you to join the discussion.