Monday (January 13) marked the first anniversary of tragic death of Gdańsk Mayor Paweł Adamowicz, who had been stabbed during the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Gdańsk. The long-serving mayor died of wounds in hospital the following day. In memory of the charismatic leader, a street bearing his name was opened for traffic, and in the evening resident of Gdańsk gathered to pay their respects and watch the unveiling of a memorial plaque.
On Monday, first cars drove along the newly opened avenue in Gdańsk, named after Mayor Paweł Adamowicz.
During the opening ceremony, the wife of mayor Magdalena Adamowicz said: "Paweł was always happy to see new neighbourhoods develop". "Today is a sad and tragic day, but in also in such moments we must think about the future and keep on going. I'm very happy to see the initiative by Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz to name this avenue after my husband," she added.
Gdańsk Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz said that Paweł Adamowicz had been delighted to see the construction of the road, now named after him.
"We came here five weeks before the tragic January 13th. He was happy as a child. Today, this avenue opens a completely new perspective in our city. A perspective we never knew before. Nor did Paweł Adamowicz at the time," mayor Dulkiewicz said on Monday.
"It's worth to make such efforts like in case of Paweł Adamowicz Avenue, which speaks volumes about our mayor's vision, his far-reaching concept," the mayor underscored.
Place of hope
On Monday at the European Solidarity Centre (ECS) in Gdańsk an "Evening for a Friend" was organised to mark the first anniversary of attack on mayor Adamowicz, which resulted in his tragic death. The event also saw a launch of a book about the death of the mayor by Katarzyna Żelazek.
The book was published by the ECS and contains 21 moving accounts by people who had been strongly affected by the mayor's murder, and whose lives had changed, as well as pictures by 13 press photographers who documented the life of Mr Adamowicz, his political activity, and the tragic events of the fateful January night.
"Let's do all we can to make Gdańsk a place of hope again and a source of rejuvenation for Poland and Europe," said the director of the ECS Basil Kerski. He added that the days following Paweł Adamowicz's death proved that there was hope in the city again.
Memorial plaque
On Monday evening on Targ Węglowy (Coal Market) in Gdańsk a memorial plaque honouring Paweł Adamowicz was unveiled.
"This plaque memorializes the sensless and extremely cruel death of Paweł Adamowicz, the Mayor of the city of Gdańsk, my beloved husband, wonderful father to our daughters. Mayor of Gdańsk: the city of freedom, solidarity and courage," said Magdalena Adamowicz.
"This plaque memorializes a moment in which evil prevailed. A moment when the light went out, silence fell and along came terror. A moment in which one knife was to kill the whole goodness of that day, wonderful, joyful day. A moment in which we all were scared of evil," she added.
She explained, however: "what happened the next day after Paweł Adamowicz's death and what is still happening one year after these tragic events proves that evil never prevails, that goodness always wins in the end". "That's why we must not get intimidated by terror. Evil is always outnumbered, even when it wins for a moment, when it succeeds by intimidating the majority of good people. Evil prevails when we start to fear, that's why we must be brave," she said.
"That's why Paweł was always so brave, he wasn't scared, he was not an opportunist and inspired courage in others. He used to say that someone has to display courage for the rest to stop being afraid. Let this plaque be a symbol of courage of men and women of Gdańsk, all Poles, symbol of courage which conquers evil," she concluded.
"Truth, solidarity and freedom"
After Paweł Adamowicz's wife, his brother Piotr addressed the crowd. "Those days last year weren't easy for me, for parents. Thank you for those days, for your presence, thank you on behalf of parents for you being here," he said.
"I personally, parents, Magda and the girls, we're waiting for the truth about those days. I hope that we will know ot one day," said Piotr Adamowicz."Let's remember it and pass this message on to your families, friends and neighbours - truth, solidarity and freedom always win. Thank you for being here," he added.
Tragic evening
Paweł Adamowicz, the liberal mayor of the Polish city of Gdańsk, died on January 14th, 2019, of his wounds a day after being stabbed by a former convict who rushed the stage during one of Poland's biggest annual charity events.
Adamowicz was attacked while attending the annual Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, which raises money for medical equipment in hospitals.
Speaking on the stage before he was arrested, the attacker accused the mayor's former party, the Civic Platform (PO) of putting him in prison, where he said he was tortured.
Adamowicz, one of Poland's longest-serving mayors, holding his position in Gdańsk since 1998.
An outspoken critic of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Adamowicz stood out for his initiatives to encourage migrants to seek refuge in the northern Polish city, and for his support of a protest campaign to defend the rule of law in Poland against what activists consider efforts by the PiS to increase its control over the judiciary and other bodies.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, Reuters