Report from the Celebrations

Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw 1920

The celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw 1920 is behind us, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast of the Polish Army.
It was a great and magnificent celebration of the victory of the Polish Armed Forces in the fight against the Bolshevik invader. We would like to thank everyone involved in the preparation and implementation of the Celebrations, the co-organizers of the City of Kobyłka, the Wołomin Commune, in particular the Mayor of Zielonka and the employees of the Wołomin County Office.
Thank you for presiding over the Holy Mass. Fr. Archbishop. Stanisław Gądecki, Metropolitan of Poznań, and J.E. Fr. Bp. Warsaw-Praga Romuald Kamiński.

Thank you for the numerous participation of the Representatives of individual Embassies: Mr. Tsukasa Kawada, the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Takashi Suzuki Japanese Defense Attache, Mrs. Makino Michiko Japanese Culture Attache, Mrs. Commander Lieutenant Lisa Berg representing Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher and the Embassy of the United States of America, Mr. Pál Attila Illés Vice Ambassador of Hungary Chargé d'affaires ai, Lord Colonel Carriel Benetti representing the Ambassador of Brazil Hadil Fontes da Rocha Vianna, Lord Mathieu Carmona, Chargé d'affaires ai Embassies of France, Representatives of the Embassy of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Representatives of Her Majesty Elizabeth II Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ambassador Robin Barnett, CMG with his wife and sons, Representatives of Armenians and Tatars. We thank the representation of the Polish community and the Polish Museum in Rapperswil, Switzerland.

Thank you for the presence of Mrs. Elżbieta Witek - Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Mrs. Małgorzata Gosiewska - Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, Mr. Antoni Macierewicz - Senior Marshal, Mr. Andrzej Dera - Minister in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Minister Józef Kasprzyk - Head of the Office of the Combatants presentation of a lecture on the "Historical Outline of the Battle of Warsaw 1920", Mr. Mariusz Błaszczak, the Minister of National Defense, Mr. Piotr Uściński, Member of the Polish Parliament, Mr. Ryszard Czarnecki, Member of the European Parliament, Mr. Zbigniew Gryglas, Deputy Minister of State Activities, Mr. Wojciech Skurkiewicz in the Minister of National Defense National Defense, Mr. Łukasz Kudlicki - Director of the Political Cabinet of the Minister of National Defense, Mr. Paweł Wdówik, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Mr. Konstanty Radziwiłł, Mazowiecki Voivode, Pa nu Artur Standowicz, the Mazovian Vice-Voivode, Mr. Krzysztof Bieńkowski - the Starost of Przasnysz, Mr. Jarosław Szarek - President of the Institute of National Remembrance, Mrs. Dorota Skrzypek - the Mazovian Vice-Curator of Education, Mr. Zbigniew Krysiak - Adviser at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, President of the Robert Schuman Institute of Thought, Mr. Professor Jan Żaryn, Mr. Professor Wiesław Wysocki.
We thank the family of Fr. Ignacy Skorupka, as well as the family of officer Aleksander Filipecki, a participant in the fights in Ossów in 1920. Representatives of the Polish Army, Mr. Colonel Mieczysław Gurgielewicz, Commander of the 5th Masovian Brigade of Territorial Defense Forces, Mr. Colonel Kamil Turolski, Commander of the 54 Infantry Battalion in Zegrze, Mr. Colonel Mirosław Zyber, Commander of the 2nd Starogardian Saperi Army Battalion of the 1920s. , Mr. Colonel Dariusz Czekaj, Deputy Commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Tadeusz Kościuszko in Wesoła. The Poviat Police Commander in Wołomin, the young inspector Marek Ujazda, PhD.

We thank the Dean of the Kobyłkowski deanery, Fr. Prelate Jan Andrzejewski, who came to priests. President of the World Association of Polish and Polish Companies, Mr. Piotr Winiarski from Vienna, and the representation of the Union of Poles in Germany "Rodło" Berlin Branch, Mrs. Alina Winiarski, President of the In Blessed Art Foundation, Directorate of the Institute of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation. Wacław Felczak. Representatives of the Union of War Invalids, Siberians, Combatants and Political Prisoners. Representatives of the NSZZ Solidarność, Wołomin Branch. Arriving pilgrims, in particular participants of the 5th Jubilee Mazovian Pilgrimage of Honorary Blood Donors, representatives of the Association of Cavalry Lovers. Mr. Robert Gołaszewski, Mayor of the City and Commune of Łochów. The Board of the Wołomin County, Poviat and Commune Councilors, Mayors and Heads of the Wołomin Poviat: Radzymin Town and Commune, Ząbki Town, Marki Town, Tłuszcz Town, Communes: Poświętne, Dąbrówka, Jadów, and Strachówka. Ms Joanna Bala - Director of the Regional Branch of KRUS in Warsaw. We would like to thank the students of the 1st High School of PUL named after 111 Fighter Squadron, Director Agnieszka Kaczyńska, Ms Maria Łopuska - Director of the uniformed school of the Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 in Urle. Directors, Chiefs, Managers, Employees of Local Government Units, other delegations, the Totus Tuus Church Order Service, residents of Ossów, Leśniakowizna, Turów and other nearby towns and guests from other Polish cities.

Here, in the Ossowskie and Radzyminski fields, on the outskirts of Warsaw, 100 years ago, in 1920, there was a great clash between Polish forces and the Russian Red Army advancing on Europe. The 18th decisive battle in the history of the world took place here. The destruction and the conflagration left behind by the Bolsheviks brought the death of many thousands of innocent victims. The wave of communism threatened the entire then Europe. Lord Edgar Vincet d'Abernon, the British diplomat, wrote: "If Piłsudski had not stopped the triumphant march of the Soviet Army at the Battle of Warsaw, Christianity would have suffered a dangerous defeat and the very existence of Western civilization would have been threatened."
The Battle of Warsaw, referred to in history as the "Miracle on the Vistula", is a symbol of the great bravery and sacrifice of Poles in the fight for freedom and independence, a symbol of brotherhood with the nations of Europe and responsibility for its fate.
Many brave soldiers died, they laid their lives on the Altar of the Fatherland for our freedom and yours. Among them, there was also the chaplain, Father Ignacy Skorupka, who led academic and junior high school youth to the fight, and Lieutenant Stefan Pogonowski, defender of Radzymin. The strength and pride of a Polish soldier, steadfastness in combat, stubbornness and perseverance are the features of a Polish soldier who celebrates his holiday today. The mobilization of the powerful and invincible army of General Józef Haller drew soldiers of Polish origin into the ranks of the army, and also citizens of other countries. New troops and help came from incl. from countries such as the United States, Hungary, Japan, Brazil, France. It was the Polish diaspora at that time that supported the Blue Army, so that the number of over 100,000 soldiers moved like an armored fist towards the gate of the Motherland. They walked with the slogan God, Honor, Homeland engraved in their hearts.

Paying tribute to the defenders of our homeland, we thank them for their bravery, attitude and sacrifice. Their attitude tells us that we cannot rest on our laurels, but every day, with great care and respect, we must care for our homeland, won by such a great sacrifice, nurturing its history and tradition.
As Saint John Paul II said, whose 100th birthday we are also celebrating this year: "The homeland is a gift and is at the same time a task".
In turn, as Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński wrote, for whose beatification we expect: "The trick is to die for the Motherland, but the greatest art is to live well for it".
I sincerely thank everyone who, both this year and in recent years, gave the anniversary celebrations a worthy and solemn setting, who contributed and contributed to the work of commemorating the battle at Ossów and all those gathered for presence, because it is a living proof of our memory and gratitude to those who shed their blood for their homeland.

Adam Lubiak - Starost of Wołomin
Robert Szydlik - Deputy Starost of Wołomin

21 sierpnia 2020
Celebrations 2020