In the Bolesławiec Ceramic Brotherhood, according to information on the website of the Bolesławiec cultural centre, 24 entities are associated (the list appears at the end of the article). Jarosław Rutyna is the elder of the Bolesławiec Ceramic Brotherhood, meaning its representative.
It was Rutyna who published the Ceramic Brotherhood’s thanks in the media as a paid announcement, containing content supporting Piotr Roman’s narrative:
“(…) At the same time, we would like to express our concern about the events that took place during this year’s BŚC Parade. We are troubled by the fact that the actions of small groups of people caused a wave of tensions and hostility.(…)” – emphasis added by the editorial team.
We emailed the ceramic companies associated with the Brotherhood to ask whether they had co-authored the thanks mentioned above. We asked them to explain who, according to the Brotherhood’s head, the “small groups of people” were that, according to the text of the thanks, “caused a wave of tensions and hostility.” We asked for information about precisely which events during the parade had caused their concern. We also asked whether they had agreed with Mayor Piotr Roman that the parade opening the Ceramic Festival would no longer be organised, because the mayor had made that decision, citing the participation of LGBT+ people in the event.
We explained the importance of a response by noting that Kornel Filipowicz, director of BOK–MCC, had filed two reports with the police concerning suspected offences during the Ceramic Festival under Article 52 of the Code of Petty Offences. One report concerned the 2nd Equality March, and the other concerned “unidentified persons.”
It should be added here that the Bolesławiec prosecutor’s office has begun ex officio prosecution of the offence involving football hooligans attacking a woman during the ceramic parade. To this day, neither Bolesławiec Mayor Piotr Roman nor parade organiser Kornel Filipowicz has condemned the behaviour of the hooligans, who publicly shouted vulgar words at LGBT+ people and attacked a woman. The mayor did, however, express outrage at two Glinoluds carrying a rainbow banner with the conciliatory slogan “We are all made of the same clay.”
Rutyna dodges the issue, supporting Roman’s narrative
We called the Brotherhood’s elder about the content of the paid thanks. During the conversation, Jarosław Rutyna evaded the subject and suggested that not all Brotherhood members knew the content of the thanks.
Of the ceramic companies in the Brotherhood, only Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec” responded to the emails we sent twice. However, their response was, unsurprisingly, evasive.
We kindly inform you that a new Management Board was appointed at Zakłady Ceramiczne Bolesławiec on 4 September 2024, that is, after the publication of the quoted thanks. It is our practice not to comment publicly on the actions of the previous Management Board, and therefore we will not take a position on this matter.
Wojciech Huczyński – commercial proxy, Director for Marketing and Trade
The other companies did not answer our questions.
We want UNESCO recognition promoting equality, inclusiveness and dialogue
Since 2023, ceramic producers from Bolesławiec County, together with the Museum of Ceramics, local authorities, and numerous institutions and associations, have been seeking to have Bolesławiec pottery inscribed on the UNESCO list.
UNESCO emphasises the need for transformation in response to all manifestations of inequality at every level, from grassroots initiatives to global governance, and supports countries in counteracting inequality, among other ways by developing inclusive public policies that promote social inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
Perhaps the ceramicists from the Brotherhood are aware of this after all? That may be why the lion’s share of the Brotherhood’s ceramicists have kept silent. They do not want to say whether they had any part in the decision that the ceramic parade would not take place in 2025, nor are they comfortable making a clear declaration that they signed their names to apologies supporting the president’s homophobic narrative.
The game being played by the Brotherhood’s ceramic companies appears to present a dilemma: how can they meet EU equality standards and benefit from European projects, while not falling out with President Roman, who “pays” for the Ceramic Festival? It should be remembered—something the ceramicists from the Brotherhood may not want to notice—that the money for the Ceramic Festival comes from taxpayers, while Piotr Roman merely creates the impression that he is providing it.
The ceramicists from the Brotherhood in Bolesławiec therefore have a tough nut to crack when it comes to, paraphrasing a Polish proverb, serving God a cup and the devil a saucer.
Members of the Bolesławiec Ceramic Brotherhood
- Anita Tofil Zakład Ceramiczny Andar
- Ceramika Arkadia Ewa Łabecka
- Ceramika Artystyczna'' Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego w Bolesławcu
- Ceramika Cerkaz
- Ceramika Artystyczna Irena Irena Michalczuk
- Ceramika Rose
- Ceramika Tryni Artur Tryniszewski
- Ceramika Czerniak Mirosław Czerniak
- Ceramika Artystyczna Dalia Ewelina Czyżewska
- Ceramika Freska Joanna Heluszka
- Galia S.C Agnieszka I Andrzej Jasiukiewicz – Ceramika Użytkowa
- Kalich Jacek Ceramika Bolesławiecka Kalich
- Zdzisława Pachom Ceramika Artystyczna Kaola
- Manufaktura Ceramiczna Andrzej Kowalczyk
- Lapis Lazuli Ewa Chabluk
- Fabryka Naczyn Kamionkowych Manufaktura Spółka Jawna Smoleński & Zwierz
- Ceramika Millena S.C. Dariusz Sikorski, Wiesława Seneszyn
- Moja Faktoria Karolina Różyło
- Przedsiębiorstwo Produkcyjno Handlowe Rutpol Rutyna Józef
- Tyrcz Alina P.P.H U Tyrcz
- Przedsiębiorstwo Produkcyjno-Handlowo-Usługowe Ceramika Artystyczna Wiza Sp. z o.o.
- WR Ceramika S.C. Jarosław Katarzyna Rutyna
- Zakłady Ceramiczne Bolesławiec W Bolesławcu Sp. z o.o.
- Aise Sp. z o.o.