Badge pins worn on clothing to commemorate Working People’s Pilgrimages
The Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union have a collection of badge pins worn on clothing, among them badge pins related to Working People’s Pilgrimages, which began in the 1980s. Among the preserved items there are memorabilia of a few pilgrimages. The badge pins have a variety of motifs and inscriptions. The badge pin of the 2nd Working People’s Pilgrimage which took place on September 30, 1984, has an image of the Holy Mary of Częstochowa and a motto: God and Homeland, and a text: II Working People’s Pilgrimage, Jasna Góra 1984. The badge pin of the 3rd Working People’s Pilgrimage (September 13 and 14, 1985) presents an image of the Holy Mary of Częstochowa and Priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, who inspired and organized such pilgrimages, and a motto: God and Homeland, Overcome Evil with Good, and III Working People’s Pilgrimage, Jasna Góra 1985. Other badge pins refer to the 6th Working People’s Pilgrimage (September 17-18, 1988). One of them shows images of the Holy Mary of Częstochowa, Priest Jerzy Popiełuszko and the Monument to the Shipyard Workers Killed in 1970, as well as an inscription: 1988 Jasna Góra, against the background of a white and red flag of Poland. Another badge pin of this pilgrimage bears and inscription: Gdynia and an image of the Holy Mary of Częstochowa, and inscriptions: Fighting Solidarity, SKP (Polish abbreviation for Paris Commune Shipyard in Gdynia), VI Working People’s Pilgrimage. The badge pin of the 8th Working People’s Pilgrimage contains an image of Priest Jerzy Popiełuszko and a logo of the solidarity Trade Union, together with a text: VIII Working People’s Pilgrimage, Jasna Góra, 15-16.09.1990.
In 1997 a badge pin commemorating the 15th Working People’s Pilgrimage was issued, presenting an image of Priest Jerzy Popiełuszko and two hearts enclosed in a chain. The first heart is red and larger, the second one white and smaller. There is also an inscription: Solidarity Trade Union. The 16th Working People’s Pilgrimage badge pin has an image of the Holy Mary of Częstochowa, the Solidarity Trade Union logo and inscriptions: Working People’s Pilgrimage 1998, Radom Land Region. The 23rd pilgrimage took place on September 19-20, 2015, and a badge pin to commemorate this event has an image of the Holy Mary with Infant Jesus and a motto: With eagerness in our hearts to entrust to the Jasna Góra Mother, and a text at the background: Poznań ’56, July of Lublin 1980, Gdańsk ’80.
Sources related to the above mentioned pilgrimages, held in the Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union, include not only badge pins, but also photographs (AKKS 347/78/183), leaflets (AKKS 347/78/76/38) or a programme of the 1986 pilgrimage (AKKS 347/78/18/153).
Visit us at the in the Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union
Those interested in the above described documents and in our other archival materials are kindly invited to see our holdings in our Reading Room of the Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union at Wały Piastowskie 24. They are accessible from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 15:30. As the number of users accepted daily is limited, please let us know in advance about your planned visit either by phone +48 (58) 308-43-92, +48 (58) 308-44-20, +48 (58) 308-43-83, or at . Due to the coronavirus pandemic all users are required to cover their nose and mouth!
/Łukasz Grochowski, the Archives of the National Commission of the Solidarity Trade Union,
Iwona Flis, Stanisław Flis Foundation “Pomerania Archives”/
