Thaddeus Kosciuszko's statue at Logan Square,
near the entrance to Benjamin Franklin Parkway,
in front of the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia

General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Monument Dedicated

Thaddeus Kosciuszko was a Polish patriot who was descended from a wealthy family, was educated at the military school at Warsaw and later completed his engineering studies in France.

In 1777 he came to America and rendered his valuable aid to the colonists in the Revolutionary War. His services were especially notable at fortifying Philadelphia, winning a victory at Saratoga, designing and building fortifications at West Point and becoming chief engineer of the southern army. In 1783. Congress offered him citizenship, land, a pension and the rank of Brigadier General. He returned to Europe in 1784.

In 1789, he became a Major General in the Polish Army. He led the insurrection of 1794, waged a series of successful campaigns against Russia, but was finally captured and imprisoned in Saint Petersburg. Two years later, he was released and in 1797, he returned to the United States and resided in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at Third and Pine Streets. Later he settled in France, devoting all his efforts to gain freedom for Poland. He died in Switzerland but his remains were taken to Cracow in 1818.

Kosciuszko's last residence in America at 301 Pine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, officially became a national memorial in dedication ceremonies on February 4, 1976.

The monument was officially presented by the Ambassador from Poland to the United States, the Honorable Romuald Spasowski. and it was accepted by City Representative and Director of Commerce, the Honorable Joseph. A. LaSala. Remarks at the function were given by John Cardinal Krol, Archbishop of Philadelphia and appreciation was extended by former city councilman Joseph L. Zazyczny.

The invocation was given by Reverend Monsignor Anthony E. Jaworowski of St. Adalbert's Parish in Philadelphia and the benediction was offered by the Reverend Victor Krzywonos, Administrator of our Lady of Czestochowa National Shrine.

Cardinal Krol made the following remarks: (Cardinal Krol at Kosciuszko Monument)

As a citizen of Philadelphia, I add my expression of gratitude to that of others, for this handsome statue by the famous sculptor - Konieczny - of one of our revolutionary heroes, General Thaddeus Kosciuszko.

I thank the good Polish people and the nation of Poland who through their government officials offered this statue to Philadelphia. I thank the Honorable Mayor Rizzo and the officials of the City of Philadelphia for accepting the offer, and for designating so prominent a site for the statue.

Some years ago. a decision was made to honor the Revolutionary heroes. Statues of Pulaski, Lafayette, Montgomery, and Baron von Steuben were erected. Subsequently the statues of John Paul Jones and Nathaniel Green were added to the group.

For reasons that are not clear, no statue of General Kosciuszko was erected. It is for this reason that I express sincere gratitude to the people and officials of Poland, and to the officials of the City of Philadelphia for correcting the oversight.

At a time when Poland was falling under the yoke of foreign domination. Thaddeus Kosciuszko - a military engineer - came to Philadelphia, and offered his services to fight for a country from which "the voice of freedom" had issued forth: - a country trying to throw off the yoke of foreign domination. Kosciuszko as well as Pulaski was a forerunner of the Polish tradition of struggle "for your freedom and ours"- a tradition articulated in the November 1830 insurrection in Poland.

Kosciuszko himself, after the American Revolution, led another insurrection in Poland in 1794. While this insurrection failed to save Poland from occupation by the three neighboring powers, it did engender a spirit of struggle, and helped the Polish people to preserve faith in their right to political independence and freedom.

The Polish National Anthem today was originally the battle song of the Polish Legions led by Dabrowski in July, 1797, in Reggio, Italy, where they fought ''for your freedom and ours."

From May 12-18, 1944, General Wladyslaw Anders and his Polish soldiers in a fierce battle conquered the Mountain and the Monastery of Monte Cassino - an objective which the British forces had been struggling to achieve since February 19, 1944. Over one thousand Polish soldiers made the supreme sacrifice. They are buried in a special cemetery at the top of the hill. Their graves are significantly marked by one large tablet which carries the inscription: "For your freedom and ours, we Polish soldiers yield our souls to God. our bodies to Italian soil, and our hearts to Poland."

Poles have always reflected high idealism and an indomitable spirit. They are people who fiercely love and are dedicated to freedom, and stubbornly resisted tyranny, oppression, repression, occupation, an subjugation.

May his memory endure and may this monument serve as an inspiration to future Americans.

From: "Gwiazda" (Polish Star), Philadelphia, Pa., July 26, 1979