City of Katowice to honor Ronald Reagan with a monument and a square

Polish Radio ^ | 09.02.2007

[lizol]

City of Katowice to honor Ronald Reagan with a monument and a square

09.02.2007

The southern Polish city of Katowice may soon rename its central Freedom Square to Ronald Reagan Freedom Square with a monument of this famous US President in the focal point of the square.

A group of hundred local public figures and activists from the former anti-communist opposition in Katowice is petitioning the city authorities for this change. The idea is to symbolize both national and individual freedom, as Ronald Reagan’s contribution to Poland’s independence is undeniable and underestimated, say the proponents of the project.

The central spot at Katowice’s Freedom Square is now occupied by a monument of Soviet soldiers, which, for many, seems inadequate and offensive. 54 years ago the name of the city of Katowice was changed to Stalinogród, meaning the city of Stalin.

“Now we want to symbolically erase that infamous decision glorifying that criminal. We would like to honor another foreigner – one to whom we owe a lot,” project authors have announced.

[lizol]

The Reagan memorial will replace this memorial (which will be moved to Soviet soldiers cemetery).

[SolidWood]

Absolutely wonderful!

[Ramius]

Hey... that's a nice thing to do.

[Gay State Conservative]

Very gratifying to hear.I've hear it said often that the combined efforts of Reagan,Pope John Paul II,Margaret Thatcher and Helmut Kohl were largely responsible for the fall of the Soviet Bloc.

[lizol]

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[dfwgator]

Finally someone mentions Kohl. I wonder if the CDU was not in power in Germany in the 80s how things would have turned out?

[pgkdan]

I love the Poles. God bless them and God Bless Ronald Reagan.

[redgirlinabluestate]

That is wonderful!

[Gay State Conservative]

I wonder if the CDU was not in power in Germany in the 80s how things would have turned out?

Good question.If some leftist sympathetic to the "DDR" had been in power then the ball might not have started rolling....East Germans traveling to Hungary and then to Austria through their open border.

[rbosque]

Cool!

[mmanager]

Been there a couple times in the last four months. During Nazi occupation the town was used as the headquarters for that sector. Not far from Auscwitz as well.

Best perogie's in Poland, love their woodka and hate the Russians.

[austinaero]

I've heard wonderful things about Poland, especially Warsaw. I'd love to visit there sometime.

I have to say, given the state of Europe today, Poland is the only country whose leadership seems to have its head o straight!

[wolf78]

I wonder if the CDU was not in power in Germany in the 80s how things would have turned out?

Actually, Kohl's immediate predecessor, Helmut Schmidt was also a stauch atlanticist, e.g. he strongly supported the NATO Double-Track Decision. Unfortunately he wasn't all that popular within his own party.

NATO Double-Track Decision
Helmut Schmidt

Today at nearly 90 years of age, Schmidt continues to voice his opion, he for example firmly rejects the idea of a Turkish EU membership (other than the - to put it nicely - somewhat myopic Lech Kaczynski). Many say that Schmidt was indeed a member of the wrong party (far too conservative for the SPD), while in turn many say that Kohl was nothing but a socialist (a socially conservative socialist, but a socialist nonetheless). My personal opion: Yup, it's true.

[dfwgator]

Wow, I didn't realize Helmut Schmidt was still alive, I always liked him.

[wolf78]

Wow, I didn't realize Helmut Schmidt was still alive, I always liked him.

Yeah, alive and probably still smoking countless cigarettes a day. I consider him to be one of the two great German (post-war) chancellors (together with Adenauer), especially because of his firm stand against terrorists:

The Landshut hijacking
The Red Army Faction 1977

[XR7]

54 years ago the name of the city of Katowice was changed to Stalinogród, meaning the city of Stalin.

Actually, literally translated, it means "Stalin's Garden."

What did Stalin plant in his garden?
Corpses.

[ContraryMary]

That's wonderful! God bless the Polish people and God bless Ronald Reagan.

[lizol]

Nope.

Not Stalin's Garden, but Stalin's City.