225th anniversary of the creation of 'Dąbrowski's Mazurek' by Józef Wybicki – Celebrations in Reggio Emilia, Italy

On Tuesday, the celebrations regarding 225th anniversary of the creation of ‘Dąbrowski’s Mazurek’ took place in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Also, this year Poles celebrates 95th anniversary of the adoption of the Dąbrowski Mazurek as our country’s national anthem. During the visit to Reggio Emilia, the Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance, Ph.D., D.Sc. Karol Polejowski laid flowers at the plaque commemorating Józef Wybicki and Italian patriots who died in defense of their homeland.

“History has linked the fate of Poland with a hymn composed in exile for a nation erased from the map. 225 years ago, in Reggio Emilia, Poles recalled their lost homeland to the rhythm of the mazurka. Wishing to regain independence, they started their journey in Italy, realizing their dream of unification.”

The original of ‘Dąbrowski’s Mazurek’ from 1800 played by the Air Forces Representative Orchestra:

The author of the words ‘Dąbrowski’s Mazurek’, Józef Rufin Wybicki, was born on September 29, 1747 in Będomin near Kościerzyna. He was a lawyer by education and he began his political activity at the age of 20 as a Member of Parliament in the First Polish Republic. He took part in the Kościuszko Uprising. He met there General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, the future founder of the Polish Legions in Italy. After the fall of the uprising, he left Poland and together with Dąbrowski he began negotiations on the creation of the Polish Legions in France. Finally, on January 9, 1797, Dąbrowski and Wybicki signed an agreement with the government of the Lombard Republic to create the Legions. This event was the beginning of the creation of the most famous work by Wybicki. He died suddenly on March 10, 1822 and was buried at the church in Brodnica near Śrem. On October 11, 1923, the body of Wybicki was exhumed and transported to Poznań. Then, on October 14, his remains and remains of other participants of the Napoleonic Wars, they were solemnly buried in the Crypt of Merit of Greater Poland, in the basement of the church of St. Wojciech in Poznań, on the so-called “Skałka Poznańska”.

“If we wanted to express the message of “‘Dąbrowski’s Mazurka’ in one word, it could be hope. Hope against all odds, because in July 1797, when the words of our national anthem were written, Poland was not on the map of Europe. It disappeared from it, divided between Russia, Prussia and Austria. And yet, even in this dark hour, there were those who deeply believed in the revival of the homeland. In northern Italy, General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski formed the Polish Legions. “Poland Is Not Yet Lost” – wrote Józef Wybicki who accompanied him and wanted to cheer up the soldiers and encourage them to fight.”, the Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance, Ph.D., D.Sc. Karol Polejowski said.