Monument To those, who for Gdańsk’s Polishness

Technique: relief in granite

Dimensions: 7.00 m × 5.20 m × 2.20 m

Object: monument made of light grey granite blocks with relief decorations, standing on a granite plinth and a two-step plinth base. It commemorates events related to the history of Poles in Gdańsk. The monument’s form brings to mind a battle axe driven into the ground. The relief decorations and raised inscriptions on the granite blocks of the plinth and the monument’s structure refer to the event known as the Gdańsk Slaughter, the Thirteen Years’ War between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order, and military operations on the Polish coast in 1939. The eastern side of the monument features the inscription “1308 Gdańsk Slaughter”, on the north side (on the plinth) the dates: 1454–1466, 1939 (the dates of the Polish-Teutonic Thirteen Years’ War and the year World War II broke out, respectively), and on the west side: “1410–1945. To those, who for Gdańsk’s Polishness”. The relief on the monument’s eastern side depicts a figure of a woman holding a child in her arms, with the dead at her feet, against a background of crosses and knights. On the west side there is a soldier from World War II and a knight, both of them supporting themselves on swords. Images of an Eagle (the Polish coat of arms), a tank, an anchor, a ship’s wheel, figures in historical costumes, as well as the coat of arms of Gdańsk and the coat of arms of Pomerania – a coat of arms with the Pomeranian Griffin can all be found in the background. In addition, on the north side of the monument, on a pedestal, there is a polished granite plaque with the following gilded inscription: “In memory of Gdańsk Poles who died for the Polishness of Gdańsk in German prisons, concentration camps and other places of bloodshed in 1939–1945. The Mayor and the City Council of Gdańsk, The Gdańsk Polish Community Abroad, Society of Friends of Gdańsk” and on a separate, lower plaque (on the side of the base), a fragment of Song XII by Jan Kochanowski: ”And if the path to heaven opens for anyone – it will open for those that serve the motherland. Jan Kochanowski”. A plaque commemorating the death of Poles from Gdańsk “In memory of Poles…” and a quote from the Song of Jan Kochanowski were placed in May 2008 on the initiative of the Gdańsk Polish Community Abroad and the Society of Friends of Gdańsk. The names of the project’s authors are inscribed on the south side: W. Pietroń, W. Samp. The monument was erected in 1969 and remained unfinished until 2007.

Place: The monument commemorates historical events related to the Gdańsk Slaughter from 1308 (which was in fact the result of the Polish-Teutonic alliance being broken rather than a pro-Polish attitude of Gdańsk inhabitants), the Polish-Teutonic Thirteen Years’ War and the war events that touched the lives of Polish inhabitants of Gdańsk in the 1939–45 period. The Thirteen Years’ War started on the initiative of the nobility and Prussian cities, which, dissatisfied with the Teutonic State’s economic and political monopoly and wishing to take advantage of the rights in Poland, asked to be incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland. Eventually, the war concluded with the Teutonic State becoming Poland’s vassal, Gdańsk Pomerania with Gdańsk and the Chełmno Land with Toruń returning to the Polish Crown, Malbork, Dzierzgoń, Sztum, Elbląg and Warmia becoming incorporated into its territory, and the Teutonic Knights renouncing the land of Michałów and the bishoprics of Warmia and Chełmno.

Information about the author: Wawrzyniec Samp (born 25 Jun 1939 in Gdańsk), sculptor. In 1964, he graduated from the Faculty of Sculpture of the State Academy of Fine Arts (PWSSP) in Gdańsk, under Stanisław Horno-Popławski, and also specialised in architectural and sculptural design and ceramics. In 1965 he joined the Association of Polish Artists and Designers as the appraiser of contemporary sculpture. He works with sculpture, artistic and industrial printmaking, medals, goldsmithery and heraldry (related to artistic blacksmithing), architectural arrangements and interior furnishings of places of worship, as well as reconstructions. Author of many monuments in various materials, including: John Paul II at the St. Brigitte church (1984), at the church of St. Stanislaus in Solec Kujawski (1998), Card. Stefan Wyszyński in Konin, the Primate of the Millennium in the cathedral in Gniezno, Józef Wilczek (a forester from Luzino murdered by the Germans in the Piaśnickie Forests [1995]), the monument of Prince Świętopełk in Gdańsk. Author of commemorative and epitaph plaques (e.g. plaque honouring employees of the Polish Post in the Free City of Gdańsk). Designer of the Gdańsk voivodeship’s coats of arms used in 1990–98 and that of the Pomeranian voivodeship introduced in 1999 (currently used), coats of arms and flags of: the Nowy Dwór Gdański county, the communes of Kwidzyn, Sadlinki, Suchy Dąb, Elbląg and others. WInner of the City of Gdańsk Award in the Field of Culture in 1991, and the Award of the Mayor of Gdańsk in the Field of Culture in 2004 and 2014.

Wiesław Pietroń (born 4 June 1934 in Gdynia). He studied at the Faculty of Sculpture if the State Academy of Fine Arts (PWSSP) in Gdańsk, received his diploma in 1964 working in the studio of Professor Stanisław Horno-Popławski and obtained his specialisation in sculpture and architectural design from Professor Adam Smolana. Major projects: “Monument to the Fallen Soviet Soldiers”, Sarzyński Dwór, 1967; “Monument to Insurgents”, Czarna Woda, 1970; Johannes Hevelius Monument, Gdańsk Przymorze, 1973; “King and Queen”, Oliwa Park, 1976.

Condition of the object: good

Owner/guardian: Gdańsk Road and Greenery Authority

Author of the entry: Kora Kowalska