“Today we will not say ‘No more war’. Today we must say: ‘No more loneliness’. It can no longer be the case in history that Poland faces aggression from this or that neighbour alone,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Sunday in Westerplatte. The head of government took part in the celebration of the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.
The greatest war of the 20th century began exactly 85 years ago. One of the first armed clashes that started the war was the attack by the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein on the Polish military depot at Westerplatte on September 1, 1939 at 4:45 a.m.
Today we speak about this in such direct language because, unfortunately, our hopes that we have been saying out loud here for decades, on Westerplatte, every September 1st, these words “No more war” – have not come true. This war is not far away from us. – said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The Prime Minister stressed that “it is not enough to talk about reconciliation, it is not enough to bow down in guilt on the part of those who attacked Poland and started the Second World War”. Today, the most important testimony for understanding this lesson is the total dedication to defense, the readiness to organize the entire Western European world, NATO to defend against the aggression that we witness today on the battlefields of Ukraine. – he said.
The Prime Minister announced Poland’s involvement in building the North Atlantic Alliance and uniting Europe to defend Poland.
We must also say loudly today: “No more weakness”. We are building the most modern army in Europe, one of the strongest in Europe, so that the existence of our homeland will never again be put at risk. So that we will never again have to sacrifice the lives of our heroes, so that our homeland will be safe, free and independent. Today, tomorrow and forever. – observed the Prime Minister.
In addition to the head of government, speakers included: Chairman of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and President of Gdańsk Aleksandra Dulkiewicz.
In such an important place for Polish history, Marshal Hołownia also spoke, saying that “bad people can act when good people don’t want to act“. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in turn, highlighted the importance of a strong army and presence in NATO for Poland.
“It is impossible to forget the immeasurable cruelties inflicted on us, the Poles and other nations in those years.. Their memory remains a commitment for the future, to protect freedom and security, President Andrzej Duda said in a letter to participants at the ceremony in Westerplatte.
The President’s letter was read by the head of the National Security Department Jacek Siewiera. The President emphasized that the memory of the Westerplatte heroes is also, among others, in memory of all compatriots who died in the defensive war of 1939.
“We realize the invaluable value of our homeland’s independence, especially now, looking at Ukraine, which has been facing Russian aggression for more than 900 days,” Andrzej Duda added.
RMF FM reporter Stanisław Pawłowski, who was present in Westerplatte, spoke to people who took part in the celebrations. What made them come?
We want to pay tribute to all Poles who defended us then, in 1939. – our reporter heard from one of those present.
I’m glad there are young people who remember that someone fought for us and gave their life so we could be free. – said another participant.
The appeal of the fallen always affects me the most, because even when I speak I am simply moved and I would not want that to happen again. – an RMF FM reporter heard from one of the participants at Sunday’s event in Westerplatte.
We must not give in to imperialism, the Second World War is a great lesson in this regard. – President Andrzej Duda stressed on Sunday in Wieluń. As he stressed, the world can never again consent to this.
During the ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, the President recalled that in the early hours of 1 September 1939, the Germans carried out an air raid on Wieluń although the city and its inhabitants were not guilty of anything. He stressed that the brutal and massive attack on the sleeping people was an “act of absolute barbarity.”
Andrzej Duda noted that the Germans decided to crush the Poles and that was the purpose of their attack. He emphasized that Poland stood firm, opposed and fought from the first day of this war, opposing the “death industry” of Nazi Germany.
We say, “Enough war,” we say, “The world can never consent to this again.” In fact, there was this consent then. Hitler dared to do this precisely because he had consent.. He understood that when he had already achieved the annexation of Austria, and when he had actually annexed Czechoslovakia, when the extermination of the Jews in Germany had already begun, the world did not react. – said the president.
In his speech, the head of state referred to the words of Lech Kaczyński from 15 years ago, who indicated that We must not give in to imperialism and the Second World War is a great lesson in this regard.
