“Deeply believing in Polish officer cadets, soldiers, officers, and generals, I am sending—and will continue to send—the signal that we are a nation that has never surrendered its freedom and independence, and never will,” President Karol Nawrocki said on Saturday. He noted that Poland is prepared for potential conflicts of the 21st century but declared that, as head of state, he will do everything to ensure we live “in a Republic free from war.”
On Saturday afternoon, in the courtyard of the Belweder Palace, President Karol Nawrocki took part in a ceremonial assembly marking the Day of the Officer Cadet and the 195th anniversary of the outbreak of the November Uprising. Addressing the honored cadets, he thanked them for choosing to dedicate their talents “to our shared security.” He continued: “Not only the security of your families, but of our national community.”
Referring to the events of November 29, 1830, he stated that on that day “young people who loved Poland and believed in a free and independent Poland—officer cadets, led by Piotr Wysocki—said loudly and firmly ‘no’ to the empire of the Muscovites.”
“This is an event from which we—the contemporaries—must draw lessons; we are deeply obliged to do so. It is an event that leaves us a certain lesson, one that cannot be ignored, also when it comes to building the future—and today’s—capabilities of the Polish Army, the Polish police, the fire service, and the prison service,” he said.
He recalled that at the time, even “the dictators of the November Uprising” lost faith in the young cadets. “The heroes were tired—remarkable heroes who had fought for Poland in earlier campaigns and served her. In November 1830, they did not believe in Poland’s victory,” he said.
“They did not believe in the young officer cadets. This must never happen again, because the November Uprising could have been won. There was a great opportunity for us to achieve victory,” he emphasized.
He underlined that the events of 195 years ago are also a lesson for the present. “It is also a lesson for us—that with the Muscovites, neither in the 19th century, nor in the 20th, nor in the 21st century, is there any agreement. With them there is only falsehood, the desire to break our spirit, and the desire to destroy,” he said.
“This is a lesson we all must learn—deeply believing in Polish officer cadets, Polish officers, Polish generals. And although we want a peaceful Poland, a Poland without war, we also want a Poland in which, at our higher education institutions—just as is the case today at military and uniformed universities—we always believe in the Polish cadet, the Polish soldier. We believe in the Polish officer, and we believe that the Polish army is, and always will be, like lightning—it will shine in times of peace and will be ready to strike in times of war. And that is the guarantee of our security,” he stressed.
Nawrocki added that he is glad Poland is ready for a 21st-century war, but he declared that as president he will do everything “to ensure we live in a Republic without war.” “Deeply believing in Polish officer cadets, soldiers, officers, and generals, I am sending—and will continue to send—the signal that we are a nation that has never given up its freedom and independence, and never will,” he said.