The Swedish branch of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought
established in Malmö under the name “Schuman Restituta Society”
On August 2, 2024, after almost a year of preparations, the Swedish branch of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought (IMS) – the Schuman Restituta Society – was opened in Malmö. Chairman of the Program Council and Founder of IMS, prof. Zbigniew Krysiak appointed attorney Orvin Kacprzyk as president. The inaugural lectures were delivered by: prof. Zbigniew Krysiak and Anna Wiejak, editor-in-chief of Schuman Optics Magazine.
“This is an extremely important matter, because this branch was established in an community of people and organizations very active in taking care of Poland’s image, in patriotic circles. On the eve of the opening of the branch, we unveiled a commemorative plaque on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. There were people there whose “father was an insurgent” – reported prof. Zbigniew Krysiak in an interview for Schuman Optics Magazine. He emphasized that this environment has important contacts with the Swedish media, which are very interested in Schuman’s model of Europe.
“Sweden as such is, on the one hand, in serious ideological destruction, but on the other hand there are many circles there, not only Poles or Polish diaspora, but also Swedish circles, who are afraid to raise their voices, but do not agree to these ideological and super-states actions. In this context, it should also be emphasized that there is a significant discrepancy between public opinion, which may be afraid to express its position loudly, and Swedish MEPs, who are, to a large extent – just like the MEPs of the Civic Platform in Poland – loyal to the interests of Germans and the interests of neocommunism” – the chairman of the IMS Program Council analyzed.
In his opinion, in this environment, the creation of a branch of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought will be an impulse to act, to build a front against Spinelli. It will create an important counterweight. “It should be emphasized here that Sweden as such has a very large potential for communicating in the world. It is very listened to in the world, and therefore also in Scandinavia – in Finland, in Norway – but also in Anglo-Saxon circles and in the United States. We hope that some ferment, which the Institute’s branch will be able to create, will have a strong echo in the world” – Prof. Krysiak said.
The name of this branch includes an accent: “Schuman Restituta Society”, which can be translated as the Institute Working for the Resurrection of Society in the Spirit of Schuman. “It is a very important emphasis on this word of ‘renewal’, ‘resurrection’, ‘awakening’, ‘extracting’ from people the sensitivities that are quite common, but they are not raised when it comes to Sweden due to a certain fear of a kind of repression.
It should also be emphasized that the Polish community in Sweden, the one that gathers around this IMS branch, has important relationships in the world, on various continents – in the United States, Australia, Europe, South America. In this context, we also see the possibility of wider publicity or influence, especially in Europe, to ‘resurrect’ this spirit of Schuman or to build and develop a social movement that will want to return Europe to the Schuman model, in various dimensions: social, economic, cultural, religious. It is about building a political community in the spirit of Schuman while maintaining the sovereignty of individual nations” – he explained.
As part of the opening ceremony of the branch of the Institute of Schuman Thought, the Institute’s authorities, in the person of prof. Zbigniew Krysiak presented nominations for the Management Board of the Malmö cell. This act was preceded by two lectures in which the emphasis was placed on the person and model of Robert Schuman, as well as on important aspects of the socio-political situation of the European Union and aspects of the Institute’s activities. They were delivered by prof. Zbigniew Krysiak and editor Anna Wiejak.
During the meeting, the gathered people engaged in a very lively discussion. “It showed that the ideological issues that Robert Schuman raises in his model are very vividly perceived from the perspective of the existing dissatisfaction with Spinelli’s ideology, neo-Marxist, gender and ecological ideology, which is implemented by various organizations, also in Sweden. This discussion showed that consolidating around Schuman can create a great counterbalance to reducing, if not eliminating, these very destructive trends” – Prof. Krysiak noted.
“We would like to thank the Swedish Polonia, especially the Polka International organization, for the invitation and willingness to cooperate. It is extremely important for us that we can build the structures of the Institute also outside the borders of our country. There is a lot of work, which was emphasized by the president Orvin Kacprzyk in a conversation with me. We hope for the soon fruits of this beautiful undertaking” – said Anna Wiejak, editor-in-chief of Schuman Optics Magazine.
She herself is fascinated by the name “Schuman Restituta Society”. “All of us at the Institute of Schuman’s Thought hope for the revival of Catholicism and the return of Europe to its Christian roots. This is the best guarantee of peace and democracy. Without Christianity and its values, Europe is doomed to collapse” – she added. She emphasized that the person of Robert Schuman can be a bond connecting all nations of Europe, because for each nation his person has positive connotations. “I hope this will happen and that Europe will abandon the sick vision of the Trotskyist Spinelli” – she concluded.
Orvin Kacprzyk, President of the Swedish branch of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought:
Together with Elizabeth Blania-Kacprzyk and Marek Małachowski, we plan to revitalize the dormant practice of fact-based critical thinking – especially concerning matters of culture and civilization.
Owing to IMS’ prolific works and precepts, based on the conscientious and faithful preservation of Schuman’s thought, SRS is equipped to offer a powerful lens enabling unclouded vision. From our perspective, one that includes the virtues and beliefs upon which society is founded.
The challenge is to engage in a manner cognizant of the prevailing ethos, yet personally relevant to those who desire to be active stakeholders in shaping the future of the nation and union to which they belong.
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The opening of the IMS Swedish branch coincided with the unveiling of the commemorative plaque on the 80th anniversary of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Congratulations Swedish Polonia!
