Józef Piłsudski Monument
The Józef Piłsudski monument in Turek is a notable statue located in Żermina Składkowska's Park. It was designed by Józef Gosławski during the artist’s stay in Italy and created for a competition organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Association in Rome in 1936. The cast of the sculpture was later ordered by the municipalities of Turek and has been in the city since 1990. The monument depicts a bust of Józef Piłsudski in uniform. Its pedestal bears an inscription identifying him as Marshal Józef Piłsudski (1867–1935) and honorary citizen of Turek.
May 2010 © Adam Rudzki · CC BY-SA 4.0
March 2010 © Piotr Rudzki · CC BY-SA 4.0
May 2010 © Adam Rudzki · CC BY-SA 4.0
March 2010 © Piotr Rudzki · CC BY-SA 4.0
March 2010 © Piotr Rudzki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Identification | |
| Type | monument; bust sculpture |
| Title | Józef Piłsudski monument |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Subject | Józef Piłsudski |
| Depiction | Bust of Józef Piłsudski in military uniform |
| Honored status in inscription | Honorary citizen of Turek |
Location and ownership | |
| Location | Żermina Składkowska Park, Turek, Poland |
| Current display location | City space of Turek |
Creator | |
| Artist | Józef Gosławski |
Historical context | |
| Design date | 1936 |
| Design context | Created in Italy during the artist's stay there for a competition organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Society in Rome |
| Competition result | Won first prize and was selected for realization |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Original bust destination | Saxon Palace in Warsaw, then headquarters of GISZ |
| Original monument survival | Survived until November 1939 |
| Postwar location of original bust | National Museum collection |
| Removal of original monument | In November 1939, Ignacy Michalak, forced by the Volksdeutsche, took it to the local police station |
| Original bust execution date | 1938–1939 |
| Unveiled by | Ignacy Michalak, a member of the Riflemen's Association |
| Unveiling occasion | Opening ceremony of Żermina Składkowska Park |
| Unveiling date | 9 June 1938 |
| Construction start | 1937 |
| Original monument initiative | Initiated by Prime Minister Gen. Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski |
| Funding | Financed from donations collected from residents by members of the Riflemen's Association (Związek Strzelecki) |
History and restoration | |
| Replacement cast inauguration date | 1990 |
| Replacement cast display date | Since 1990 |
| Replacement cast commissioned by | Authorities of Turek |
| Replacement decision | Another bust of Józef Piłsudski was placed on the pedestal |
| Original bust search | Attempts to find the original bust were unsuccessful |
| Restoration interruption | The committee resumed its activities after the end of martial law |
| Restoration initiative | Social Committee for the Reconstruction of the Józef Piłsudski Monument in Turek, formed from inspiration by NSZZ "Solidarność" Ziemi Turkowskiej |
| Restoration start | 1981 |
| Nazi-era commemoration | Despite a German ban on entering the park, residents placed flowers under the pedestal every 19 March and 11 November |
Physical characteristics | |
| Pedestal | A pedestal was made and still stands today |
Materials | |
| Material status | Not specified in the provided information |
Appearance | |
| Inscription | MARSHAL JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI 1867-1935 HONORARY CITIZEN OF TUREK CITY; MARSZAŁEK JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI 1867-1935 HONOROWY OBYWATEL MIASTA TURKU; EL MARISCAL JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI 1867-1935 HONORARIO CIUDADANO DE TUREK |
Other | |
| Photographed views | En face; the statue with the inscription; the statue on the pedestal |
| Associated event | Polish Army's Day celebration (2009) |