The celebration in Lviv in 1883 was, on the one hand, a Polish patriotic event, since it was about the victory of King Jan III Sobieski. On the other hand, it was a celebration of the successful defense of Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so the festivities were fully in line with imperial policy. The most important state-organized celebrations took place in Vienna and, on a regional level, in Krakow, where Jan III was buried. However, due to the unique combination of state and national patriotism in one event, the celebrations in Lviv were also interesting and massive.
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The defense of Vienna is considered one of the events that had an impact on world history. In this battle, the Ottoman troops were defeated and the siege of the Habsburg capital was lifted, preventing the Turks from advancing deeper into Europe. The support of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, whose troops were led by King Jan III, was an important part of the joint victory.
For Polish politicians, this anniversary was an opportunity to remind their own society and the world of Poland's role in the history of European civilization, as well as of the mission of "defending the Catholic Church," which at the time of the celebration was officially carried out by the Habsburgs. The Krakow conservatives, who organized the main events in the region, were able to recall Krakow's role as the royal capital, avoid irritating Vienna (since the reason for the celebrations was very pro-Habsburg), and look like real patriots in the eyes of the public.
The participation of the Cossacks, who fought under the banner of Jan III, opened this project of historical commemoration to the Ukrainians. Ukrainophile politicians did not appreciate this curtsy, but Greek-Catholic Basilian monks, for example, honored the king as "the patron of the Ruthenian clergy and people."
As usual, the festivities were "all-Polish" in nature. They were held in one way or another on the territory of three empires: Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian. The most modest celebrations were held in the Russian partition of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth — only in churches and private estates. In the German lands, from September 9 to 12, 1883, several hundred various but small events took place.
In the Austrian part 146 events were counted, which was less than in the German part. However, they were more intense: there were masses, solemn meetings, artistic programs, marches of members of various organizations, installation of monuments or memorial plaques, naming of institutions after Jan III Sobieski and so on.
Lviv was not the main place of commemoration in Galicia. In Krakow, where Jan III is buried, from September 11 to 16 there were exhibitions, an opening of a museum, the arrival of delegations to the king's sarcophagus, the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, and much more. At the same time, the 25th anniversary of Jan Matejko's creative work was celebrated. Festivities were also held in Vienna, where the focus was more on Austria's confrontation with the Ottomans than on the Polish cavalry's contribution to the joint victory.
The Course of the Events
On the eve of the celebration, the people of Lviv had the opportunity to visit the Olesko Castle, where Jan Sobieski was born. On September 8, about a hundred people went on a Saturday excursion by train from the Pidzamche station.
Olesko Castle on the photo by Edward Trzemieski (ca. 1880).
The First Day
On Tuesday, September 11, memorial services were held in the city's churches "for the soul of Jan III and the knights who fell near Vienna": in the Bernardine Church, in the Latin Cathedral and in the synagogues. In the Latin Cathedral, among others, the President of the State Council Franciszek Smolka, Oktaw Pietruski, a member of the Provincial Department, and the President of Lviv Wacław Dąbrowski were present. A symbolic hearse with a portrait of Jan III and the royal crown was placed in the church, members of the Civil Guard and the Sokół (Pl. "Falcon") kept order, Archbishop Seweryn Morawski conducted the service, and the choir of the Lutnia Society sang. A symbolic hearse was also placed in the Bernardine Church. The practice of placing such hearses was not new in Lviv. It happened at least during the events of the Spring of Nations.
After the service, the public marched through the Mariacki Square to the Rynek Square to the Royal House (Korniakt Palace), which belonged to Jan Sobieski two centuries ago. After a speech by the President Wacław Dąbrowski and a musical program, a commemorative plaque was unveiled on the façade of the building.
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- "Королівська" кам'яниця на площі Ринок, 6/ Royal House at Rynok, 6.
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- Пам'ятна таблиця встановлена на фасаді у 1883 році / Commemorative plaque unveiled in 1883
At 4:00 p.m., a solemn meeting was held in the City Hall assembly room. President of the city Dąbrowski and then the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Professor Lucjan Tatomir, spoke on the occasion of the anniversary. In the evening, the premiere of the play The Defense of Vienna by Wincenty Rapacki took place in the theater.
The Second Day
The next day, Wednesday, September 12, 1883, the celebrations took place in a completely different atmosphere. The houses were decorated with flowers, the morning "wake-up call" was sung by the Harmonia Choir, and a solemn rather than a mournful service was held in the Latin Cathedral. Governor Filip Zaleski, Vice-President of the Governor's Office Hermann Loebl and other representatives of the military and civil authorities took places of honor in the cathedral. The members of the Provincial Department wore national costumes.
After the mass in the Cathedral, the group, led by the Harmonia Choir, marched to the Vysokyi Zamok (High Castle) Hill along the following route: ul. Grodzickich — pl. Strzelecki — ul. Teatyńska — the Zamkova (Castle) Hill. Arriving there, they unveiled a memorial sign in honor of Jan III, overlooking the fields between Lviv and the village of Lysynychi, where in 1675 the king defeated the "hordes of infidel Tatars" during the Polish-Turkish war of 1672-1676.
At 5 p.m. the theater repeated the performance of The Defense of Vienna, and in the evening Lviv was decorated with lights. Traditionally, the windows of private houses, churches, public buildings and townhouses on the central squares were illuminated. The press paid special attention to the decoration and illumination of the Royal Townhouse on Rynok Square and the Jesuit (City) Garden. The latter was illuminated by an electric spotlight placed on the balcony of the Galician Diet building.
Order on the streets was maintained by the Civil Guard, which consisted of 400 volunteers.
