Statement
Since 1999, Viadrina University has been awarding the Viadrina Prize to outstanding personalities and significant initiatives from various fields of society for their commitment to understanding, cooperation and reconciliation between Poland and Germany. The Viadrina Prize symbolises understanding, peace and freedom in the common European home – values that underpin the Viadrina European University, founded in 1991. This year, the Prize was awarded to the Wrocław historian prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz.
The Rector of the University of Wrocław, prof. Robert Olkiewicz, personally attended the event on 1 June 2023, wishing to emphasise the importance of the Prize for our University, the entire University Community and prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz.
In his laudation in honour of the laureate, Basil Kerski, director of the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk and editor-in-chief of the Polish-German magazine DIALOG, emphasised the merits of professor Krzysztof Ruchniewicz as a scientist characterised by civil courage and as a historian who does not turn his back on the present. Unfortunately, he devoted a large part of his speech to sharp criticism of Poland’s internal political situation.
In the opinion of the authorities of the University of Wrocław, the ceremony of presenting such an important Prize should be devoted to highlighting the merits and achievements of the person awarded, and not a place for expressing one’s own – right or wrong, because this is not the essence of the problem – political views.
In an act of disagreement with the turning of the laudation in honour of prof. Ruchniewicz into a political rally by Mr Basil Kerski, rector prof. Robert Olkiewicz left before the end of the lecture, acknowledging that such an important ceremony for both Universities should be free of current politics.
In the opinion of the University of Wrocław authorities, every member of the academic community has the right to his or her own views, including, of course, political views, to express and manifest them. One may agree or disagree with these views, which does not absolve us from the obligation of mutual respect. However, there are places and celebrations where we should definitely refrain from making them political. Such a place was the Viadrina European University and the ceremony held on 1 June.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that this was the second recent visit of the Rector of the University of Wrocław to Viadrina. On 27 April, prof. Robert Olkiewicz participated in the ceremony of prof. dr Eduard Mühle becoming president of the European University Viadrina. A visit by prof. dr. Eduard Mühle to Wrocław is planned for September, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between our partner universities.
Katarzyna Górowicz-Maćkiewicz, press spokeswoman of the University of Wrocław
