Karol Nawrocki’s Jasna Góra Incident Sparks Debate

The news in Polish

1. wydarzenie (n.)
   Znaczące, często publiczne zdarzenie lub spotkanie. ↩︎
2. skandować
   Wymawiać głośno i rytmicznie wyrazy lub hasła w grupie. ↩︎
3. antykomunistyczny
   Przeciwny ideologii komunizmu. ↩︎
4. kontrowersja (f.)
   Spór lub debata na temat budzący różne opinie. ↩︎
5. podkreślać
   Zwracać uwagę na coś, akcentować znaczenie. ↩︎
6. duchowny (m.)
   Osoba pełniąca funkcje religijne w danej religii. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Where did Karol Nawrocki participate in a pre-election event?

Question: What was chanted during the meeting with fans?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
wydarzenie (n.)	event
skandować	chant
antykomunistyczny	anti-communist
kontrowersja (f.)	controversy
podkreślać	emphasise
duchowny (m.)	clergy

Read the full story

The recent participation of Karol Nawrocki in a pre-electoral event has stirred controversy in Poland, particularly regarding an incident at Jasna Góra, a significant religious site. During a gathering with football fans, anti-communist chants were shouted as Nawrocki, the head of the Institute of National Remembrance ( IPN), took the stage. The phrase “raz sierpem, raz młotem, czerwoną hołotę,” which is often used by the extreme right, was raised, causing widespread discussion.

Nawrocki clarified that the meeting did not take place in a church but in a separate hall at Jasna Góra. He emphasized his longstanding involvement with these annual pilgrimages. “I value the supporters’ ability to tackle various topics independently,” he commented, praising their spirit.

The incident elicited strong reactions online. A known Jesuit, Father Grzegorz Kramer, expressed his disappointment on social media, while political figures took the opportunity to critique Nawrocki. Krzysztof Brejza from the opposition accused Nawrocki of misusing the location for political dramatization, while Zbigniew Konwiński criticized the use of such a sacred space for political purposes.

Conversely, representatives from Nawrocki’s supporting party, such as Jan Kanthak, presented a favorable view, describing Nawrocki as a unifier of football fans. However, the event has shone a spotlight on Nawrocki’s remarks about another critical issue: Ukraine’s potential entry into the European Union and NATO.

Nawrocki, during a conversation with Polsat News, stated, “Today, I don’t see Ukraine as part of the EU or NATO until certain unresolved Polish civilizational affairs are addressed.” This statement was perceived by some, like Marcin Bosacki of the Civic Coalition, as aligning more with Kremlin interests, a claim Nawrocki has not directly addressed publicly.

The pre-campaign environment remains heated, with Nawrocki positioning himself ahead of the upcoming Polish presidential elections in May. With political lines drawn sharply, the discourse around these early campaign matters continues to unfold, reflecting the broader ideological divides present in Polish politics today.

 

Info: ‘Polish Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Polish’, a language school dedicated to teaching Polish. We offer various types of online courses, including Polish lessons, catering to different learning needs and skill levels.