St Adalbert’s Hill in Poznań is an extremely important place on the historical map of the city. In the shadow of the two churches standing there, a very meaningful and dynamic monument was built in the 1980s. The building commemorates the soldiers of the “Poznań” Army who heroically fought against the German occupier during World War II.
The idea for the monument to the “Poznań” Army
The idea of erecting a monument in honour of the “Poznań” Army already appeared after 1945, but it was not until the 1970s that the topic took real shape. In 1976, the Union of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy (ZBoWiD) asked the sculptor Anna Rodzińska to prepare a design. The first model was ready later that year. The ambitious plans even envisaged unveiling the monument on 1 September 1979, the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of war. Rodzińska’s project was accepted by the authorities and veterans, but in March 1978 a competition for a different concept was unexpectedly announced. The artist, in cooperation with the sculptor Julian Boss-Gosławski and the architect Józef Iwiański, decided to prepare a new proposal under the motto ‘Barykada’.
A bumpy road to realisation
Despite the positive reception of the authorities and the public, this project also had to face a number of obstacles, such as a change in the location of the building, accusations of symbolism (allegedly too much emphasis on German power), and the need to remodel it. In the end, thanks to the involvement of the artistic and veteran communities, with the support of the Association of Polish Artists, the project was saved. In order to implement it, the Civic Social Committee for the Construction of the “Poznań” Army Monument was established on 27 March 1981. The symbolic foundation act was laid at the foot of St Adalbert’s Hill on 1 September 1981. Already a year later, in the presence of the Chairman of the State Council Henryk Jablonski and representatives of the Polish army, a ceremony was held to unveil the memorial.
A form that speaks
The monument makes a big impression with its powerful and symbolic form. The five slender blocks pointing upwards are meant to evoke Polish bayonets. They rest against four massive leaning pillars, a metaphor for the military might of the Third Reich. This juxtaposition depicts the tale of a heroic, if unequal, struggle against the Western invaders. The stone-lined walls of the monument are decorated with the names of the places of battles in which the “Poznań” Army participated, the names of its units, and the names of the fallen officers and soldiers. They represent all those who gave their lives in defence of the fatherland. In the central part of the monument there is a stone Virtuti Militari cross, next to which an artillery shell casing filled with earth collected from the battlefields is placed. The entire composition is complemented by a quotation from General Tadeusz Kutrzeba’s book “Bitwa nad Bzurą”:
They tried to perform an unfeasible duty in 1939 – the defence of Poland.
The monument to the “Poznań” Army is the work of many hands
The realisation of the building was a joint effort of Poznań factories and artists. The steel elements were made by the “Mostostal” and HCP plants, and the “Kambud” company was responsible for the stonework. The sculptural part was realised by Marian Banasiewicz and Jerzy Nowakowski. Despite the withdrawal of Julian Boss-Gosławski from the project (which involved the loss of copyright), his contribution to the original concept remains invaluable. Today, the ‘Poznań’ Army monument is a unique artistic and architectural work. Its form and the message that follows it create an engaging space of remembrance for those who fought for the freedom of our country. The structure attracts many Poznan residents and visitors alike, rising to the sky and telling of the heroism of soldiers from almost 80 years ago. Unfortunately, the monument is also sometimes the target of attacks by vandals, which is why it has to be cleaned of scribbles on a regular basis.
Source: poznan.pl, poznan.fandom.com
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Poznań | History | Modernism | City | Interesting facts
