online bulletin
| Uhlan Days |
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| Thursday, 22 April 2010 20:50 |
As every year, on the last weekend of April the cavalrymen of the 15th Regiment of Poznan Uhlans will present themselves at the Poznan Citadel. Uhlan Days are an old Polish tradition cultivated before the war and resumed over 20 years ago. Uhlan Days have been organised in the capital of the Wielkopolska Region since the mid 1980s to commemorate the regimental holiday of the 15th Regiment of Poznan Uhlans. Traditionally, the event takes place on the first weekend after the 23rd of April, that is the day of Saint George, patron of the Poznan cavalrymen. The resumption of this pre-war festival was initiated by the members of the Society of Former Soldiers and Friends of the 15th Regiment of Poznan Uhlans.
This year?s Uhlan Days will start on Friday, the 23rd of April, with competitions at the Wola Hippodrome. Cavalrymen dressed in traditional uniforms with sabres and lances will compete in horse breaking-in, obstacle jumping, shooting and mastery of cold steel, that is lance and sabre. On Saturday the celebrations will move to the city centre. Plans for the evening include a Military Tattoo in Mickiewicza Square. Later, the cavalry unit will follow Św. Marcin Street, al. Marcinkowskiego and ul. Paderewskiego to the Monument of the 15th Regiment of Poznan Uhlans on ul. Ludgardy, where the Assembly for the Fallen will be held and all the regiment?s soldiers fallen and killed in the years 1918 ? 1945 will be named. The Sunday celebrations will start at 8 AM with the cavalrymen?s departure from the Wola Hippodrome, to the Monument to the Regiment. At 10 am, Holy Mass will be held at the Sanctuary of Our Lady Mighty of Miracles ? Lady of Poznan (Franciscans? church at the Przemysł Hill) with the participation of the Battalion?s Guard of Honour with the colours of the 15th Wielkopolska Armoured Cavalry Brigade and the Representative Orchestra of the Air Forces. After the Mass it is planned to pass with the Guard of Honour of the Polish Army to the Wielkopolska Military Museum in the Old Market, where homage will be paid to the Regiment?s Colours. At 11 am, a family picnic will start at the Citadel where one will be able to see, for example, team driving and horse breaking-in shows. Competition results will also be announced and awards presented. The picnic will end with a traditional Uhlan charge ? a presentation of cavalrymen during combat. Galloping horses, sabres, lances and bangs ? everything always looks spectacular. Enthusiasts of the Uhlan Days included Maciej Frankiewicz, Deputy Mayor of Poznan, tragically deceased last year. Every year he would participate in the regiment?s celebrations and spectacular charge on horseback, dressed in Uhlan uniform. |
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