Nawrocki weighs in on street naming and memory in Poland’s presidential race
During a rally in Września, civilian candidate Karol Nawrocki spoke about the practice of naming streets and how memory plays a role in public life across Poland. He highlighted Paweł Adamowicz Street in Gdańsk and used the moment to reflect on what memorializing figures says about a nation and its values.
He noted that there is no street named after Adamowicz in Warsaw, framing this point within a broader discussion about how Polish cities choose to honor leaders. The remark touched on the legacy of Lech Kaczyński, a former president whose memory remains a touchstone in ongoing memory debates and political discourse.
It would not occur to me to protest against Paweł Adamowicza Street in Gdańsk, Nawrocki stated, underscoring his view that memory is a matter of public record rather than personal stance.
He added that his opponent argues there was no figure in Polish history who matches the stature of Lech Kaczyński, a claim Nawrocki challenged as a misreading of the nation’s historical narrative.
Observers see the exchange as revealing differences within Polish political circles and within the presidential race itself. Nawrocki argued that Adamowicz has his own street in Gdańsk, a fact he did not dispute, while suggesting that opponents place undue emphasis on singular figures when assessing Poland’s memory landscape. The exchange highlighted how commemorations and street naming reflect competing visions of leadership and national identity in contemporary public life.
The remarks were echoed by the head of the Institute of National Remembrance, who emphasized that public memory continually shapes the political conversation. The discussion illustrates how the naming of streets can become a proxy for broader disputes over history, values, and how a nation chooses to remember its leaders.
In the current political climate, debates over memory and commemoration contribute to how voters perceive the candidates and their positions on history. The way figures are remembered, and the places named after them, remains a live element in Poland’s national dialogue and its memory politics.
As the race unfolds, Nawrocki’s comments underscore the ongoing tension between different approaches to memory, identity, and leadership in Poland. The conversation around Paweł Adamowicz Street and Lech Kaczyński’s legacy continues to influence public perception and the shaping of future policy directions.