Silesian Autonomy Movement - Controversies

Controversies

• In 2000 the Polish Office For State Protection warned in its report that RAŚ may be a potential threat to Poland's interests.

• In 2007, reestablishment of the 1. FC Kattowitz soccer club by the RAŚ activists caused controversy. 1. FC Kattowitz was a soccer club established in 1905 by Germans, club played in the German soccer league. Following the Silesian Uprisings in 1921 and a subsequent League of Nations plebiscite, part of the region – including Kattowitz – was granted to Poland and the name of the city was changed to Katowice. With the transfer of the city of Katowice to Poland, the name of the club was Polonized in 1922 to 1. Klub Sportowy Katowice. That same year, the membership of the club successfully challenged the change in court and won the right to play as 1. FC Kattowitz. By 1924, the team was part of regional Polish competition and playing as 1. FC Katowice. Katowice faltered in 1929 and was relegated from first division Polish football, descending to play in the regional Silesian league where they became champions in 1932.

In June 1939, the club's activities were suspended by Polish authorities when they were accused of promoting and supporting the interests of Nazi Germany (through the 1930s, club was overtaken by the radical pro-Nazi nationalists from the Jungdeutsche Partei). After the German invasion of Poland which began World War II in the fall of 1939, the team resumed play with German authorities looking to hold up 1. FC Kattowitz as a model side in Upper Silesia for propaganda purposes.

• In 2010, controversy sparked over the controversial photo on official RAŚ site. The photo itself showed a young man who held a trophy in his hand and diploma in other while behind him was a commemorative plaque with words in German language "Zum gedenken den gefallenen" (In memory of the fallen), above the plaque was the Iron Cross with dates 1939-1945. On the sides of the commemorative plaque were Silesian and modern Germany flags. When the scandal broke out, Silesian Autonomy Movement has been accused by some of being a "Volksdeutsche organization which real goal is to break the Silesia region from Poland and return it to Germany" and also a "German fifth column in Poland". Photo vanished from the RAŚ site as soon as it was acknowledged in the media. Ryszard Czarnecki, Polish politician who is a Member of the European Parliament for the Lower Silesian and Opole constituency from Law and Justice, stated on his official Europarliament site that: "From one side it proves how contumely and effrontery are Silesian separatists, from the other side Polish media can play a positive role only if they will want to oppose such iniquity, such defamation of the fallen Poles from the German hands during the II World War. One must want and can to place a dam to this pro-German effrontery."

Meanwhile, writing in a party document entitled "The State of the Nation", the Law and Justice (PiS) leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, said “Being a Silesian is a simple way to cut ties, and indeed could be a way to camouflage a German identity”. At a later press conference, the former Prime Minister said that anybody who declared their Silesian nationality were in some way “declaring their Germaness”.

• Jerzy Gorzelik, the current leader and representative of the Silesian Autonomy Movement, has claimed numerous times that he is not Polish by nationality but rather "Upper Silesian". He once stated: I'm Silesian, not Polish. My fatherland is Upper Silesia. I did not pledge anything to Poland nor I promised anything to it so it means that I did not betray it. State called Republic of Poland, of which I'm a citizen, refused to give me and my friends a right to self-determination and so that's why I do not feel obligated to loyalty towards this country.

In 2010, Gorzelik has been elected to the Sejmik of Silesian Voivodeship. Upon taking the councilor's sit in Sejmik, he had to swear an oath (it is mandatory in Poland for every councilor of each Voivodeship sejmik), and thus automatically pledge loyalty to the Republic of Poland (before Gorzelik was elected, an oath in Sejmik of Silesian Voivodeship was always taken collectively). The oath goes as following:

I solemnly swear to honestly and faithfully carry out given duties in regard to Polish nation, to stay in the guard of sovereignty and interests of the Republic of Poland, to act for prosperity of Fatherland, of community of the Voivodeship sejmik and for the well-being of all citizens, to obey to Constitution and other laws of the Republic of Poland.

• Fear of separatism, instead of officially declared autonomy, was flamed up by some publications in "Jaskółka Śląska" - RAŚ's official magazine. There were published articles which called openly for sovereign, independent Silesian state.