Poland's Independence Day of 11 November is a day of reflection on the past and the future. NIK President laid flowers in places related to Three Great Fathers of our Independence: Head of State Józef Piłsudski, Prime Minister Ignacy Jan Paderewski and Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Dmowski.
One day before the anniversary of Poland’s independence, flowers were laid at NIK’s memorial of Head of State Józef Piłsudski who founded the Supreme Office of State Audit.
The Supreme Office of State Audit (which is the original name of today’s NIK) was established by virtue of the decree of 7 February 1919. The decree was signed by Head of State Józef Piłsudski, the main founder of the Independent Poland. The first President of the newly founded body was minister counsellor Józef Higersberger who actively participated in developing the Act on State Audit.
NIK President Marian Banaś also paid tribute to Ignacy Jan Paderewski - a great pianist, statesman, prime minister and co-founder of the Supreme Office of State Audit who died in exile. A wreath was laid on behalf of all NIK employees in St John's Archcathedral in the Warsaw Old Town.
At the end of the anniversary celebration, flowers were laid at Marshall Józef Piłsudski monument on Piłsudski Square and at Roman Dmowski monument. This year, due to the pandemic restrictions, NIK President was only accompanied by a delegation of NIK employees.
The National Independence Day was established in 1937. Regaining independence after 123 years of occupation was a long process for Poland. The 11November was chosen as the Independence Day because on that day in 1918, truce was signed in Compiegne. It meant the defeat of Germany in the First World War. A day before Józef Piłsudski returned to Warsaw from a prison in Germany. The Germans were being demilitarised in Warsaw at that time. On 11 November, the Regency Council transferred the authority and high command over the Polish Army to Józef Piłsudski. The National Independence Day was liquidated by communists in 1945. It was brought back in 1989.
