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Opposition activists in Brest region pay tribute to Thaddeus Kosciusko

Members of the Brest regional organization of the Hramada Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP) and representatives of the Havary Prawdu! (Tell the Truth!)

movement on February 4 took part in events commemorating the 267th birth anniversary of Thaddeus Kosciusko, one of the leaders of the 1794 anti-Russian national liberation revolt.

According to Andrey Vawchok, chairman of the BSDP chapter in the Leninski district of Brest, the activists of the BSDP and the Tell the Truth! movement, together with representatives of several foreign diplomatic missions and local authorities, laid flowers at the memorial in front of Kosciusko's family estate at Merachowshchyna, Ivatsevichy district, and visited the Kosciusko museum inside the building.

A delegation of the BSDP and the Tell the Truth! movement also visited Kosava, a village in the Ivatsevichy district, where they observed a minute's silence at the mass grave of participants of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising led by Kastus Kalinowski.

"We have been holding such events on February 4 every year for more than 15 years now under Kosciusko's motto of ‘For our and your freedom!’ which is still timely,” Mr. Vawchok said. "This legendary man deserves honor and respect. Today, when we are marking 150 years since the beginning of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising led by Kastus Kalinowski, we understand that the 1794 anti-Russian national liberation revolt led by Kosciusko was its predecessor."

According to Mr. Vawchok, on February 2, Kalinowski’s 175th birth anniversary, BSDP activists passed out some 300 copies of a booklet containing information about Kalinowski and Kosciusko on Brest streets. The booklet was distributed in Baranavichy on February 3 and in the Ivatsevichy district and Belaazyorsk on February 4.

Thaddeus Kosciusko (Tadeusz Kosciuszko in Polish and Tadevush Kastsyushka in Belarusian) was born on February 4, 1746. At the age of 30, he left for America where he joined Washington’s army in the fight for the freedom of the North American colonies. He served with distinction through the war, and was granted the rank of brigadier general. Thomas Jefferson described him as the "purest son of liberty."

In 1784, Kosciusko returned to his homeland where he commanded Polish troops during numerous battles in a war against Russia. In October 1794, the Polish forces suffered a defeat and Kosciusko, heavily wounded in the field, was captured. He remained in Russia as a prisoner until 1796 and was released on the condition that he would never return to Poland.

Kosciusko died on October 15, 1817, in Solothurn, Switzerland, and his body was brought to Poland and laid to rest in the royal crypt at Wawel Castle in Krakow. //BelaPAN