Wednesday marks 105 years since the Greater Poland Uprising, which began in the western city of Poznań on December 27, 1918.
State officials, local leaders and residents laid flowers at the graves of the insurgents, and attended a special Holy Mass at the Poznań Fara shortly after noon, news outlets reported.
The main anniversary ceremony was set to take place at the Greater Poland Insurgents Memorial at 4:40 p.m., according to officials.
PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk
Meanwhile, the Office of President Andrzej Duda paid tribute to the Greater Poland insurgents of 1918-1919, posting a video to mark the anniversary on social media.
The Chancellery of Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the X social media platform: "105 years ago, the victorious Greater Poland Uprising broke out. It was a military insurrection against the Weimar Republic. It is one of the most significant events in the history of Greater Poland."
The uprising "led to the restoration of this region back to Poland," officials added.
Poland's successful 1918/1919 uprising against German rule
The Greater Poland Uprising, in which Poles rose against the German state after the end of World War I, erupted on December 27, 1918.
The revolt started after the region's German authorities opposed a visit to the city of Poznań by Polish pianist and independence activist Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
The insurgents demanded the release of Prussian-occupied Polish land as the country recovered its independence after 123 years of foreign rule.
Fighting continued throughout the region until January 1919.
The Greater Poland Uprising was one of just a few Polish insurgencies that ended in victory for the country.
Under a law initiated by the president and approved by parliament in 2021, December 27 is a new Polish public holiday, known as National Day of the Victorious Greater Poland Uprising, in tribute to the revolt's participants.
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Source: Office of the President of Poland, Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, IAR, PAP, poznan.naszemiasto.pl, Institute for National Remembrance IPN, greaterpolanduprising.eu