Stefan Szolc-Rogozinski returned to Poland

More than 120 years after his death, the earthly remains of Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński were brought to Poland. Mayor Krystian Kinastowski, along with a group of residents of Kalisz, participated in the ceremony held in Paris.

The agenda of the delegation's visit, organized by the Office of the Prime Minister, included a number of visits and meetings. Before arriving at the Polish Embassy in Paris, the group from Poland visited the Montparnasse Cemetery, where flowers were laid on the grave of Ludwik Mierosławski. A symbolic wreath was also laid at the Solidarity monument. The guests also visited the Polish Library in Paris and met with the Polish community, including students of the Adam Mickiewicz Polish School in Paris, at the Polish Embassy, where they discussed the cultivation of Polish traditions, culture and language in France.

The solemn send-off ceremony for Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński also took place there: an ecumenical service led by Rev. Michael Kühn, pastor of the Evangelical Parish in Kalisz, with the participation of Minister Jan Dziedziczak, Polish Ambassador Jan Emeric Rościszewski, Plenipotentiary Minister Wiesław Tarek, Polish Consul General Andrzej Szydło, Plenipotentiary of the Council of Ministers for the Protection of Memorial Sites Wojciech Labuda, and family members of the eminent traveler.

In addition to Krystian Kinastowski, Mayor of the City of Kalisz, the delegation included representatives of the Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński Elementary School No. 17, the 62nd Kalisz Senior Scout Troop "Brzoza" and journalists from the Kalisz media.

In Kalisz, the ceremonies will take place on October 10.
At 11 am, a memorial service will be held at the St. Adalbert and St. Stanislaus Church. Afterwards, participants will proceed to the Evangelical Cemetery. There, at 12:30 pm, the remains of Szolc-Rogoziński will be laid to rest in the Repphan and Scholtz chapel, where, among others, the traveler's parents are entombed.

A meeting dedicated to Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński will begin at 2:00 pm in the auditorium of the University of Kalisz, at 4 Nowy Świat Street. In addition to speeches, the program will include the presentation of an album about the traveler, as well as the screening of the 2016 film "Królowie, palawary i zapomniany odkrywca" directed by Władysław Rybiński, dedicated to the expedition to Cameroon.

The event is financed by the Office of the Prime Minister within "Bringing the remains of Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński back to the country - exhumation, reburial, commemoration" project, implemented by the Fundacja Nowe Drzewo Życia.

Added by: Tomasz Witak, photos: Magdalena Bartnik - the Office of the Mayor of the City of Kalisz
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