Grunwald Museum Responds to Belarusians' Request to Display White-Red-White Flag on the Field
On July 15, the management of the museum complex in Grunwald responded to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's appeal requesting permission to install a white-red-white flag on the Grunwald field.
This was reported to Radio Svaboda by Yury Melyashkevich, acting chairman of the BPF Party, who earlier initiated a corresponding petition. Tsikhanouskaya sent letters to the management of the Grunwald Battle Museum and the Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship on July 14.
«They replied very complimentary, grateful for the concern shown. But they reported that the complex is on the list of historical monuments of the Republic of Poland, protected by Polish legislation. The decision was made in 2010 by President Komorowski, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk also present at the signing. This imposes restrictions on the museum administration's disposal of this territory. They cannot install the flag independently,» Melyashkevich recounted the museum's response.
Any changes to the natural landscape are the responsibility of a specialist who oversees the protection of all monuments in the voivodeship. The museum reported that there are specific procedures for approving the installation of flags.
Since 1960, three flagpoles have stood on the hill, and changing their number is currently impossible. However, the museum also stated that during ceremonies on the Grunwald field, the Polish army erects temporary mobile flagpoles that do not require approval, Yury Melyashkevich added.
According to him, Belarusian activists will now negotiate to install temporary structures with the white-red-white flag, and later complete the necessary procedures for installing a permanent Belarusian flag.
«We sincerely thank you for the memory and words of respect expressed on the occasion of the anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Grunwald, which even today remains a historical heritage and a symbol of the struggle for freedom of the peoples who inhabited the former lands of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,» the museum's response states (the full text is at the disposal of the 'Svaboda' editorial office).
Commemorations for the anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald began on July 15 in Grunwald and will continue until the end of this week. The main festive day will be Saturday, July 18, when a reconstruction of the battle will take place.
As of the morning of July 16, the petition for the installation of the white-red-white flag on the Grunwald field had gathered 997 signatures. The initiators planned to collect a symbolic 12,000 signatures — according to the number of warriors from Belarusian lands who participated in the battle.