[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 89 (Friday, June 28, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6321-S6322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 296--RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF IGNACY JAN 
 PADEREWSKI AS A MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, STATESMAN, AND PHILANTHROPIST AND 
   RECOGNIZING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RETURN OF HIS REMAINS TO 
                                POLAND.

  Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. Biden, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Murkowski, and 
Mr. Fitzgerald) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 296

       Whereas Ignacy Jan Paderewski, born in Poland in 1860, was 
     a brilliant and popular pianist who performed hundreds of 
     concerts in Europe and the United States during the late 19th 
     and early 20th centuries;
       Whereas Paderewski often donated the proceeds of his 
     concerts to charitable causes;
       Whereas, during World War I, Paderewski worked for the 
     independence of Poland and served as the first Premier of 
     Poland;
       Whereas in December 1919, Paderewski resigned as Premier of 
     Poland, and in 1921 he left politics to return to his music;
       Whereas, the German invasion of Poland in 1939 spurred 
     Paderewski to return to political life;
       Whereas Paderewski fought against the Nazi dictatorship in 
     World War II by joining the exiled Polish Government to 
     mobilize the Polish forces and to urge the United States to 
     join the Allied Forces;
       Whereas Paderewski died in exile in America on June 29, 
     1941, while war and occupation imperiled all of Europe;
       Whereas by the direction of United States President 
     Franklin D. Roosevelt, Paderewski's remains were placed along 
     side America's honored dead in Arlington National Cemetery, 
     where President Roosevelt said, ``He may lie there until 
     Poland is free.'';
       Whereas in 1963, United States President John F. Kennedy 
     honored Paderewski by placing a plaque marking Paderewski's 
     remains at the Mast of the Maine at Arlington National 
     Cemetery;
       Whereas in 1992, United States President George H.W. Bush, 
     at the request of Lech Walesa, the first democratically 
     elected President of Poland following World War II, ordered 
     Paderewski's remains returned to his native Poland;
       Whereas June 26, 1992, the remains of Paderewski were 
     removed from the Mast of the Maine at Arlington National 
     Cemetery, and were returned to Poland on June 29, 1992;
       Whereas on July 5, 1992, Paderewski's remains were interned 
     in a crypt at the St. John Cathedral in Warsaw, Poland; and
       Whereas Paderewski wished his heart to be forever enshrined 
     in America, where his lifelong struggle for democracy and 
     freedom had its roots and was cultivated, and now his heart 
     remains at the Shrine of the Czestochowa in Doylestown, 
     Pennsylvania: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski 
     as a musician, composer, statesman, and philanthropist; and
       (2) acknowledges the invaluable efforts of Ignacy Jan 
     Paderewski in forging close Polish-American ties, on the 10th 
     Anniversary of the return of Paderewski's remains to Poland.

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, today I rise to submit a resolution 
recognizing the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski as a musician, 
composer, statesman, and philanthropist and to commemorate the 10th 
anniversary of the return of his remains to Poland.
  Born in Poland in 1860, Paderewski is remembered for his 
contributions to the arts and humanities and as one of the great men of 
our times. Paderewski was a brilliant and popular pianist who performed 
hundreds of concerts in Europe and the United States during the late 
19th and early 20th centuries, donating the proceeds to numerous 
charitable causes. During WWI, Paderewski played a central role in 
achieving Poland's independence, becoming the first Premier of Poland 
in 1919 until 1922 when he left politics and returned to music.

[[Page S6322]]

  The German invasion of Poland in 1939 spurred Paderewski to return to 
politics where he fought against the Nazi dictatorship in World War II. 
By joining the exiled Polish Government he helped to mobilize the 
Polish forces and to urge the United States to join the Allied Forces.
  Paderewski died in 1941. At the direction of President Franklin D. 
Roosevelt, Paderewski's remains were placed alongside America's honored 
dead in Arlington National Cemetery, where President Roosevelt said he 
may lie until Poland is free.
  For over a half century, the remains of Paderewski were interred at 
Arlington National Cemetery. He did not live to see the U.S. and Allied 
Forces liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazi control. Nor did he 
witness the subjugation of Poland during the Soviet era. It was, 
however, the legacy of Paderewski that inspired movements throughout 
Europe, including Solidarity in Poland, which led to the liberation of 
Europe.
  In 1992, Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa, the first democratically 
elected President of Poland following WWII, asked U.S. President George 
H.W. Bush to return Paderewski's remains to his native homeland.
  On July 5, 1992, Paderewski's remains were interred in a crypt at the 
St. John Cathedral in Warsaw Poland.
  So, as we near the 10th anniversary of this historic event, I submit 
this resolution and asked that it be properly referred.

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