Poland marks anniversary of victorious uprising against Germans

Officials in Poland have paid tribute to men and women who fought in a victorious uprising against the Germans more than a century ago.

An annual re-enactment held in the western Polish city of Poznań to commemorate the 1918 uprising against the Germans

Photo: PAP/Marek Zakrzewski

Under a law initiated by President Andrzej Duda and approved by parliament last year, December 27 is a public holiday in the country, known as National Day of the Victorious Greater Poland Uprising, in tribute to the revolt's participants in 1918 and 1919.

#OTD we celebrate the National Day of the Victorious Greater Poland Uprising, which led to the liberation of Greater Poland from German rule. pic.twitter.com/zEilyhZsND

— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) December 27, 2022

The Greater Poland Uprising, in which Poles rose against the German state after the end of World War I, erupted on December 27, 1918.

Last year, on 27 December 2021, the National Day of the Victorious Greater Poland Uprising was celebrated for the first time. Among the initiators of the establishment of this national holiday was also the IPN. Today once again we commemorate this Polish victorious uprising. pic.twitter.com/Rxu4ZCN8Te

— Institute of National Remembrance (@ipngovpl_eng) December 27, 2022

„Dzisiaj rocznica owego dnia chwały,
W którym za Polskę krew, życie dawano;
Dzielni żołnierze za ten czyn wspaniały,
Wy dziś nosicie bohaterów miano”
—
104 lata temu wybuchło Powstanie Wielkopolskie. Dziś świętujemy!
Chwała Bohaterom!#PowstanieWielkopolskie #DumniZeZwycięstwa pic.twitter.com/BxSKGeeLGY

— PL1918 (@PL1918) December 27, 2022

The revolt started after the region's German authorities opposed a visit to the city of Poznań by Polish pianist and independence activist Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

The insurgents demanded the release of Prussian-occupied Polish land as the country recovered its independence after 123 years of foreign rule.

Fighting continued throughout the region until January 1919.

🗓104 years ago today, a shot fired by German soldiers into the crowd of Polish demonstrators triggered fights in Poznań. The Greater Poland Uprising started! The uprising influenced the outcome of the Treaty of Versailles, getting the Poles everything they’d won and more. pic.twitter.com/J94QNUuekz

— Institute of National Remembrance (@ipngovpl_eng) December 27, 2022

The Greater Poland Uprising was one of just a few Polish insurgencies that ended in victory for the country.

Dziś jest 27 grudnia. Dziś obchodzimy Narodowy Dzień Zwycięskiego Powstania Wielkopolskiego!
Obejrzyjcie film jaki powstał z okazji dzisiejszego święta i przekażcie go dalej.
Pamiętajmy. Chwała Bohaterom! 🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/Lk6oRrpQru

— PL1918 (@PL1918) December 27, 2022

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, IPN