„Poland shall not perish until we’re alive” – the words of the National Anthem are especially up-to-date on 11th November. Yesterday, on the 90th anniversary of regaining Independence by Poland, the Dąbrowski Mazurka (Polish National Anthem) was sung during the occasional academies, assemblies,meetings of the war veterans, reminding of the very long and difficult way the Poles had to traverse in order to regain independence. The Independence Day began in Wieliczka with the official service for the Homeland in the St.Klemens church.

The patriotic celebrations were attended in crowds by the residents, the combatants and the youth and the representatives of the self-government authorities and institutions of Wieliczka.

The scouts handed red-and-white ribbons to the participants at the entrance to the church.

After the service the colour-guard led by the Representative Brass Orchestra of the “Wieliczka”Salt Mine marched in the direction of the obelisk commemorating Regaining of the Independence.

The numerously gathered Wieliczka residents listened to the speech made by Stanisław Szuro - member of the Main Board of the Political Prisoners’ of the Stalinist Period Union, who introduced the mood of this very special patriotic holiday.

Then the delegations of the representatives of the war veterans’ organizations, self-government and the Salt Mine authorities along with the uniform reserves, various societies, firms and institutions of Wieliczka placed the flowers in front of the monument by which a guard of honour was kept by the Polish Army soldiers.

At the end of the ceremony, after the performance of the “March of the First Brigade” the representatives of the Katyń families planted “The oak of memory” of the Wieliczka patriots murdered in Katyń. The act of plantation was a part of the campaign “Katyń – to save from oblivion”.