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105th anniversary of the Wielkopolska Uprising

The 105th anniversary of the outbreak of the Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918-1919 will commence on December 27. According to the organisers, this semi-round milestone warrants a slightly larger-scale celebration. To start this year's event early, they are rolling out the Wielkopolska PLAYS! for the Museum concert on 17 December.

Photo of the monument to the Greater Poland Insurgents. A man speaking in front of the monument and white and red Polish flags, soldiers around the monument. - grafika artykułu
photograph: Grzegorz Dembiński

As every year, the uprising celebration will continue into the second day of Christmas. On 26 December at 4pm, we will witness the re-enactment of Ignacy Jan Paderewski's arrival at the Summer Train Station. The role of the Master will be brought to life by Andrzej Lajborek, an actor from the Nowy Theatre. Adding a musical touch, the Poznań Teachers' Choir will get the crowd into the spirit with patriotic and insurgent sing-alongs.

The peak of the festivities will take place on 27 December. In the morning, wreaths will be laid on the tombs of uprising commanders and at memorial sites. At 4:40pm, the ceremony moves to the monument of the Wielkopolska Insurgents. Throughout the day, you can visit the insurgent camp making a comeback to the Guardhouse building in front of the Wielkopolska Uprising Museum in the Old Market Square. The camp features replicas of the Fokker D.VII aircraft and a 7.7 cm cannon. Members of Grolman Bastion Re-enactment Group 3 will appear in uniform, while the Kapela zza Winkla band will get you singing patriotic songs. A walking tour of historic uprising sites will start at 2.15pm (in Polish). Finally, the festivities will conclude with the singing of the patriotic song called Rota.

On 28 December, head over to Poznań's Fort VII for celebrations honouring the Wielkopolska insurgents who were held captive there during the occupation. The commemorations will begin at 11am with a flower-laying ceremony at the execution wall.

Written by the Editors

translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski

Celebration of the 105th anniversary of the outbreak of the Wielkopolska Uprising, Museum of the Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918-1919, 27 December, 1pm-5pm, Wielkopolska Martyrdom Museum - Fort VII, December 28, 11am, free admission

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