“Ukrainian and Polish people need to restore the name of Mariusz Zaruski”

Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration Mykola Kostiak at the request of the Consul General of Poland in Odesa Joanna Stzhelchik supported the initiative of the local Society “Polonia” to install in Kherson a monument to General of the Polish Army (active participant of the wars in the period between 1918 and 1921), artist, writer, and prominent public figure of Poland Mariusz Zaruski, whose life was closely linked to Kherson region. Head of the State Administration publicly confirmed that the current members of the Council of City Architecture are considering possible installment of the monument to one of the founder of the Committee for National Fleet General Zaruski. Special competition will be held to determine the best conceptual idea of the monument and only then the place for the monument will be chosen and the plan of the adjoining territory will be drafted.

The Polish side is making its contribution to the installment and maintenance of the future memorial and asks Kherson authorities to allocate space on the central waterfront, since Mariusz Zaruski was closely connected with the sea and river industry and sailing. In addition, there is an annual international sailing regatta held in memory of Polish gene­ral in Kherson.

“Somewhat provincial Kherson will become more European and recognizable after opening the monument to Mariusz Zaruski. I am certain that this monument will open the way to our city for many Europeans and, above all, the Polish people,” said in a comment to The Day Rosalie Lipinska, head of Kherson Oblast Polish Society “Polonia.” “At a meeting of the Polish delegation with the Governor of Kherson Mykola Kostiak and Acting Mayor of Kherson Zoia Berezhna we felt that the local authorities are interested in this initiative. I think that the residents of Kherson will gladly respond to the opening of another cultural site in their city. Our main task is to restore the name of Mariusz Zaruski for Polish and Ukrainian people. He studied in Odesa, received military training in Mykolaiv, and died in Kherson. Thus, there are many things in the south Ukraine that are associated with him that’s why it is important to adequately honor his name not only in Poland, but also in Ukraine. Presently there are over 16,000 Poles living in Kherson. They live in peace and harmony with local Ukrainians. Joint cultural projects facilitate such friendly coexistence and the monument to Zaruski will be one of such projects.”

Mariusz Zaruski was in exile in Kherson. On the territory of the Ukrainian SSR he was recognized as “socially dangerous element” and was arrested by NKVD in Lviv. General was deported to Kherson, where he died in 1941 (at age of 75) from cholera. Tomb of Mariusz Zaruski is located in the old cemetery of Kherson, where Polish Brotherhood “Polonia” installed a memorial sign.