The 48 Bal Polski celebrates the centenary of the Battle of Warsaw which took place between 12-16, August, 1920.
An English politician, diplomat and art collector, Lord Edgar Vincent D’Abernon called the Battle the 18th decisive battle of the world. He admitted that it had enormous influence on the political situation in Europe, and above all was a victorious contest between two radically opposing civilisations.
He concluded, “had Józef Piłsudski, the Marshal of Poland, failed to stop the Red Army at Warsaw in 1920, the existence of Western civilisation would be endangered because the enemies of Poles planned to set class against class, to destroy all that stands for our conception of freedom, justice and good faith.”
Therefore, it is right to celebrate the centenary of the Battle, not of the bloodshed and destruction, but of a just war which brought peace to many nations across Europe. Without the two peaceful decades for Poland, we would not be able to withstand the Nazi German occupation and Communist oppression which lasted until 1989.
The Battle of Warsaw centenary is yet another bridge of culture, history and values that Poland shares with Great Britain.
Let us cherish that and celebrate together.
Author: dr Jolanta Rzegocka
Picture: Polish Embassy Press Office
Painting: „Miracle on the Vistula” by Jerzy Kossak
Portal British Poles is a media patron of the Bal.
More about the Bal here.
