Morawiecki: Those Who Fear Polish History May Have Acted to Prevent This Museum's Creation

28/09/2023

13:18

Morawiecki:

Those Who Fear Polish History May Have Acted to Prevent This Museum's Creation

- It is truly exceptionally symbolic that here, in this place [...], a place of martyrdom for the Polish nation, a place where Polish patriots were murdered, primarily by the Russian occupier, but not only, the Museum of Polish History stands in this very spot. [...] What is being created here is not just a building, but a kind of symbol that is also meant to guide us towards the future. History is not only the teacher of life, but a truthfully told history, and in particular, the history of Poland, is not only a reason for pride, but above all, a weapon in the fight for a strong Poland, for a better future for the Republic - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during the opening of the Museum of Polish History. - We must ask ourselves why [...] this museum took 17 years to establish. Why did it take so long, one could say longer than free Poland has existed, [...] for this place, so important to all Poles, to be created. For many years, it was said that there were no funds, no will to build it, but I think, unfortunately, we must say that something else was missing. Above all, there was a lack of faith that such a place was needed to build Polish identity, to build and strengthen Polish pride. Perhaps it was precisely those who fear Polish history, those who based their actions on different assumptions, who did everything to ensure that this museum would not truly come into being. So that propaganda, so evident in the Third Polish Republic, would reign supreme, or rather, propaganda that did not differ significantly from that used by Frederick, Catherine, Bismarck, or Stalin. Diminishing Poland's role, humiliating Poland, having Poland bear the sins of others, fostering national self-abasement, and what we collectively term the pedagogy of shame - he continued. - The construction of this magnificent building simultaneously demonstrates that we are on the path to victory, to rebuilding the proper role of the Republic on the map of Europe, on the map of the world. For this to happen, we need very strong institutions - he added.