They That Sow the Wind 42 Ifc Vienna 20'Strony

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THEY THAT SOW THE

WIND…

A Radio Feature by

Agnieszka Czyżewska Jacquemet

and

Mariusz Kamiński

Polish Radio Lublin 2015

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In 1920, near the village of Komarów, Polish cavalry crushed the numerically superior Konarmia [Horse Army - cavalry] under command of Semyon Budyonny. After the World War 2, communist Polish authorities did whatever they could so that the memory of the battled which had sealed the crushing defeat of the Bolsheviks sink into oblivion. After the end of communist rule in 1989, a several hundred of devotees and descendants of participants in the battle began their efforts to bring the memory of the battle back to life. They began to organise battle reconstructions and remembrance ceremonies on the Komarów hills. In 2011, it turned out that the battlefield has not only historical values, but also monetary ones. In 2014, the Municipal Office of Komarów saw another battle, this time over the wind turbines that were to be located on the former battlefield. The supporters talk about technical advancement, development, and business. The opponents remind about the history and symbols which are not for sale. Neither party is willing to budge an inch. The feature poses questions about historical processes, about social responsibility for memory about the past, and the past’s impact on subsequent generations. To what degree should the events that took place over a century ago affect our actions today and our plans for tomorrow?

(…)

Hubbub of voices in the conference room of the Komarów Municipal Office.

Simultaneous voices, showing anxiety: “At the moment there is…” “Calm

down...”, “At the moment there is…. calm down, please… Gentlemen…”

Male voice I coming to the foreground, nervous

It's a lie… that the turbines are not harmful to people. Who has signed that??

Stanisław Siek, chairman of the Municipal Council

That's the third time I am reprimanding you. You'll have your say during the

discussion…. The Municipality Governor has the floor now. Madam….

Male voice I interrupting in mi-sentence

My land will be worth next to nothing because of the turbines. And so will be

my neighbours'

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Municipality Governor

We can assure you that the planned investment project will not affect the

battle reconstruction site. We can choose the area where from the wind

turbines will not be visible.

Male voice II

That is not true. Please, don't say things that are not true…

Male voice III

Rejecting the wind farm project offer is like locking the doors in our firms away

from customers.

Tomasz Dudek, chairman of the "Battle of Komarów" Association

I want to make it plain and clear to the media and everyone. We are not

fighting against the turbines. We are fighting to protect the battlefield of the

Battle of Komarów.

Hubbub of voices in the conference room, commotion; in the background -

echoing shouts: "For freedom!", "Hurray!", whistling of air.

Ms. Wiesława Sieńkowska, Governor of Komarów Municipality

In 2011, we were informed that we had a great gift from nature - wind that

could earn us money. A company came to us, interested in locating a wind farm

in our municipality. All Municipality Councillors, unanimously, agreed that we

should give it a try, for the benefit of the municipality and our residents. We

have commenced relevant procedures. We have kept the people informed.

There have been special meetings organised in the villages. People supported

the idea... they thought, we should take the chance. Draft land use plan was

made available for consultations. No one was at that time interested in

analysing the amendments or taking part in the discussion. After the land use

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plan was approved, we have initiated the procedure for amending the master

plan.

Gaggling of geese, clucking of hens in the courtyard, a traditional, “old-

fashioned” village

Narrator

Yet, the people see the procedures differently. To them, the decisions made by

the Municipality Governor and the Council came as a complete surprise.

Resident I astonished

Nobody knew anything about it. Really…. Had the Municipality Governor only

spoken a word…

Reporter I interrupting in mid-sentence

Perhaps no one was interested?

Reporter I

I think that if we have a community centre in every village, which Municipality

Governor keep boasting about, she should have said to us - there are village

leaders, after all ... “There will be a meeting held... there is an issue to discuss”.

That's how it should have been done, not secretly.

Resident II

I don't feel I have been informed. I've only heard people talking, that there will

be wind turbines here.

Resident I speaking with strong local accent

There was a meeting at Antoniówka... another village. It's 4 kilometres away

from here... People have agreed there, because the turbines are to be installed

on their fields and they'll get some money for it.

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Reporter I

Has anyone asked you?


No one.

Reporter I

How far from the first turbine do you live?


About a kilometre.

Resident II

So, that's how it's gonna be…

Reporter I

Have you been informed how these turbines can affect you and your health?

Resident II

If you mean reliable information, then no…

Reporter I

Aren't you cross with the authorities?

Resident II

What can we do about it? Who's gonna listen to us?

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Turbine blades whistling. Municipal Office.

Female voice

I'd like to say a few words about health of the residents and about treating

people like myself, who don't have money, who don't run a business, who have

no one to stand up for them. How people like myself are treated by public

officials.

Stanisław Siek, Chairman of the Municipal Council from the background,

trying to interrupt

Please, don't waste our time….

Female voice, with anger

Wait, I have to say …

Stanisław Siek Chairman of the Municipal Council from the background,

No, you don't ….

Male voice I interrupting in mid-sentence

This concerns the turbines…..

Female voice, peevishly

Why cant' we have a referendum on the issue of wind turbines …

Stanisław Siek Chairman of the Municipal Council from the background,

We've had enough of referendums and rows here….

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Male voice I

You are forgetting, you're supposed to represent people here…

Whistling of wind, voices intermingle: “What do you want to talk about? “You

don't care about human health”. “You have no right to speak...” “You only

count the money and that is not right...” “But this is for the benefit of us all…”

Sound of a steel cord hitting against the metal flagpole and a popular soldiers'

song of WW1 and Bolshevik War times, played on panpipes.

Narrator

Not everything can be counted in zlotys. The landscape of the Battle of

Komarów battlefield has remained unchanged for 90 years. This is the only

such site, apart from Grunwald. [The site of the the Battle of Grunwald fought

during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War, one of the largest battles in

Medieval Europe] Just like the defeat at Grunwald marked the beginning of the

twilight of the Teutonic Knights, the Battle of Komarów stopped the Bolsheviks'

march towards the west of Europe, saving Poland's independence and Europe

from the spread of the Bolshevik revolution.

The wind and music stop


This is something we should be proud of. This place saw not only the defeat of

the Bolshevik cavalry, but - most importantly - of Stalin himself, because he was

responsible for Budyonny's operation and the southern front (in 1920). In

Communist Poland, after the World War 2, for 50 years it was forbidden to

even mention the battle. No one was allowed to speak or so anything… . Now,

we are gradually bringing this history back. It takes time. And today, in the

present geopolitical situation, we don't want to remember. We will erect wind

turbines. But we all know that the project owner is a German company; it has

subsidiaries which are owned in twenty four to fifty something percent by

[Russian] Gazprom. This is what we have managed to find out. And so, we will

have German-Russian wind turbines here – on the land that witnessed the

greatest glory of Polish cavalry. Their glory will become Don Quixote tilting at

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windmills, as it is already often presented in press and other media. This is not

the right place for wind turbines. The central element of this place should be a

monument commemorating the glory of Polish cavalry. We can even see here...

we can go out and drive to …

Opening the door, going out, starting a car engine, driving

Narrator

On our way, in the valley, we are passing by a small area enclosed by a

brickwork fence. Two marble plaques with names of the killed in action and a

cross. This is a remembrance site. Before Word War II, the battle veterans

gathered here and used to sing patriotic songs, sitting by bonfires.


This is the tiny piece of land listed as heritage site.

Reporter I

This is not more than ... I don't know, 100 ares...


Yes, tiny little piece of land. And the size of the battlefield was enormous.

Reporter I

So, the rest can be used for any purpose, right?


Right.

Getting off the car, wind

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This is the farm bought to organise a museum here and cavalrymen training

centre, to expand it. Here, where this walnut tree grows...

Reporter I

mhh


There was a house... Here were the Budyonny's Headquarters. Because it is the

closets to the highest point of 255 hill. The heaviest fights were at this hill. It

was a strategic place. It was very important.

Sounds of battlefield, shooting.

Reporter I

The fights were 500 m from here, where the first wind turbine is to be erected,

right?


Yes, this is the area where the first turbine is planed.

The sounds of battle move to the foreground. Shouts in Russian: “Death to the

Poles!”, “Hurray!”, “Forward!”….

Narrator

It was a fierce battle.

Shout in Polish: “For Poland!”

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Narrator

17 thousand-strong Konarmia was faced by 1500 Polish lancers.

Shout in Polish: “Charge!”

Narrator

The battle started before dawn and ended after dusk.

Shout in Polish: “Fire!”, shooting

Narrator

Decisive for the ultimate victory was the charge of 8th Regiment which

galloped into the enemy's formation. The 255 hill and Budyonny's car were

captured.

Shouts in Polish: ”Kill the Bolsheviks!”; clanging or arms, groans.

Narrator

Dispersed Cossacks fled to the woods. Panic broke out.

Shouts in Russian: “Retreat!”, “Retreat!”.

Narrator

300 Polish cavalrymen and approximately 4000 Russian Konarmia soldiers fell

in the field; Konarmia had never regained its combat capabilities.

Echoing whistling

Resident II

I had lived in Austria for 15 years. The Siege of Vienna battlefield is officially

protected as heritage site, as far as I know. Even an observation deck has been

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constructed recently at the Kahlenberg church. As far as I know, it had been

four years of consultations before it was decided that anything could be

actually built on the Kahlenberg hill. And here, the wind turbines… Any high-

rise structure and similar object are prohibited there. What is happening here is

a tragedy to me. ….

Sound of a steel cord hitting against the metal flagpole and a popular soldiers'

song of WW1 and Bolshevik War times, played on panpipes.

Narrator

For over ten years municipal authorities and "The Battle of Komarów"

Association have jointly organised memorial celebrations and battle

reconstructions. The wind turbines are to be located precisely on the former

battlefield. A little more than 1100 metres from the remembrance site and

nearly 2 kilometres from people’s homes. Yet, the wind blows the same in the

whole municipality, so maybe the turbines could be relocated a few kilometers

away.

Wind stops.


Today, the terms are dictated by those who are interested in the project

concerned. You can't say to them: “Do it 5 or 10 kilometres away from here”.

They may no longer be interested. I don't think there will be any problem with

holding remembrance ceremonies and commemorating the 1920 battle as we

have so far. You can always take a shot in such a way, so that the turbines will

not be visible in the picture. If you direct the camera towards the east, the

turbines will surely get in the frame. But if you take pictures looking towards

the west, south, or east, you won't see them. It is not true that the municipal

authorities want to forget about it. We want to develop, but we also want to

remember abut the past. Nearly 40 various permits and approvals are required

here. We have approvals of regional authorities, of Roztocze Complex of Areas

of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Regional Office for Protection of Heritage

Monuments and Sites.

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Reporter I

Didn’t the Regional Office for Protection of Heritage Monuments and Sites raise

any objections?


No, they didn’t. "Consultations on the proposed amendments in the master

plan of the Komarów Osada Municipality"

Reporter I

But this document pertains to the remembrance site and not to the whole

battlefield. It's dated March 2014. (Rustling of paper)


(Rustling of paper) Yes, right…

Reporter I

And there is another one... (rustling of paper)… dated September 2014. …

(rustling of paper)… Conservation Officer recommends that the proposed

amendments in the master plan be reconsidered due to historical and non-

material values - this opinion pertains to the battlefield as a whole.


This is not the opinion. This is only a recommendation. The opinion is

favourable to us. We have positive opinion required to amend the master plan.

And simply people have the right to draw benefits from the fact that they own

land there.

Hubbub of voices in the conference room of the Municipal Office.

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Stanisław Siek, Chairman of the Municipal Council, reading the conclusion of

the Heritage Conservation Officer

“In view of the above, it is recommended that the Municipal Council

reconsiders the proposed amendments concerning the development of the

area with respect to their potential impact and influence on the spatial

arrangement, also taking into account the historical and non-material values of

the area. Signed: Lublin Region Heritage Conservation Officer”.

Applause in the meeting room, one of the attendees wants to speak


You know, I don't really care about your opinion, because the whole turbine

issue has been on the agenda for a long time…

Female voice II

Two years ago I had some string beans growing... unfortunately, it all got

trampled. Because you, lancers, ride wherever you please. Listen to people

living actually here, and not visiting once a year for two or three days... Look,

people, this is our decision…. Thank you.

Applause in the room

Resident II speaking with strong local accent

Why do they want to decide for me. I am the owner and I have a right to decide

what is going on my land. This is my decision. And everybody just wants to get

some more money. If you get 600 or 800 zlotys a month ... Isn't it good money?

Sure, it is! One can always do with some extra money.

Reporter II

What about the battle? After all, it is a heritage site.

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Resident II speaking with strong local accent

The battle, you say.... What about the Warsaw Uprising. They were fighting all

over the city... so they shouldn't have built anything there, right? No houses, no

theatres... When something needs to be built, you just do it.

Female Resident III speaking with strong local accent

And we need this money... our children go to school…

Reporter I

You would get some extra money for education of your children, right?

Female Resident III speaking with strong local accent

Well, yes.

Granddaughter

I have learnt about it at school, too. I know it was the greatest cavalry battle

and it deserves respect, but the municipality needs to develop, too. There are

no enterprises, no businesses, where people could find jobs. There are only

farmers here…

Reporter I

And what do the young people do here?

Granddaughter

There is no future here. Most young people go to big cities to study and that's

it...

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Reporter I

And how about you…

Granddaughter

I'll go away to study, too. I won't stay here...

Wind blowing, rattling of the steel cable...

Narrator

Owners of the plots where the turbines will be located will benefit the most.

But none of them wanted to tell us the actual amount. For the remaining

several hundred people living in close vicinity of the planned wind farm, the

consequences will be rather detrimental than beneficial.

Turbine whistling, echoing sounds of the battlefield, shout; "Fire!" ...


If we ignore the historical aspect, there is also the issue of the landscape which

will be damaged - obviously damaged. These are giants, colossuses, nearly 200

m high, including blades. This is more or less the height of the Warsaw's Palace

of Culture. So, you will be able to see them practically from any place within 20

km range. In the long run, I would never want to live near anything like that.

Never ever. With this noise, vibrations - because it must generate vibrations...

Reporter I

But these people have nowhere to go to. They have their homes here...


No, nowhere to go… And they will have problems with leaving, because they

will not be willing to sell their properties for next to nothing and no one will

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give them a good price. You must be aware that such turbines are planned to

operate for some 25 years. The poles and the turbines will be dismantled, but

the concrete slabs will remain in the ground. No one will remove it. There is not

a word in the agreements about that. And we are talking about thousands of

tons here. These are really huge amounts and these people will be left with this

concrete. Another issue is the taxes. Naturally, today these people will earn

something on it, but they do not realise that the time will come when they or

their children will have to pay taxes on these plots, not at rates applicable to

farmland, but to industrial properties. So, at the end of the day, I don't think it’s

a good deal for these people.

A popular soldiers' song of WW1 and Bolshevik War times, played on panpipes.

Narrator

Instead of windfarm, "Battle of Komarów" Association proposes initiation of

history-based collaboration with Austrian and Hungarian municipalities.

Citizens of these countries fought in the first Battle of Komarów in 1914. The

project would cover construction of educational pathways, observation decks,

museum, and tourist infrastructure which the municipality lacks. At present,

there is no accommodation or catering facilities whatsoever, but this does not

seem to bother the local authorities.

Music ends, conference room, Municipal Council meeting


(Rustling of paper) There is this letter with proposals addressed to you in the

today's documents …

Speaking at the same time

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Councillor I speaking with strong local accent

And who's gonna pay for that...


Calm down, gentlemen. Calm down…


We are holding the Council's meeting here. After the meeting….

Councillor I speaking with strong local accent

Mr Dudek has presented the proposal, suggesting how much the municipality

could … but on what? On showing people around... selling tickets for guided

tours... I hope the Council will not get fooled into doing it.

Applause


We have already thought about that and even could get EU funds, but there

have been so many more important things, that we have decided to put the

educational pathways of for later....

Reporter I

But it may be too late, then. When the turbines are erected, there will be no

prospects for tourism.


The municipality will benefit from this investment project that is to be located

here, because 2% on each structure, the tax I mean, will be paid to the

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municipal budget. If there are 16 turbines erected, then it would be... about a

million zlotys revenues from the tax on structures and buildings.

Reporter I

But this million of revenues means actually a loss for the municipality. Because

today, as a poor municipality, you get the subsidy of 2.2 million per year. When

you get a million from the tax, the subsidy will be reduced to 600.000. So, it's

still 600 000 missing. This means you won't get more, but less.


We get subsidies today, but we can't be sure if we get them tomorrow. It all

depends on the situation of the state budget. We can only count on what we

have here.

Reporter I

But it's still 600 000 less.


You are all wrong. There will be hard surface access roads built, leading to the

turbines and to the fields as well, which is very important in our typically

agricultural area. This is an advantage. Moreover, if any such investment

project is implemented, it means jobs for people. I believe that the people from

Komarów Osada municipality will get these jobs. Because when people have…

when they have more money, they can go to a shop and buy something and

then the shops will also get better. So, at the end of the day, we all can benefit

from it.

Reporter I

The municipality will get this million zlotys only in the first year, because the

turbines are subject to depreciation. So, the revenues from the tax will

gradually decrease, until, one year they will be zero.

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That is correct. Everything is subject to depreciation, but the revenues will be

significant, anyway…

Reporter I

I think I don't quite get it. If you lose a part of the subsidy already in the first

year, and then the revenues from the tax will be gradually decreasing year after

year, where do you see these significant benefits?


Please, really, nothing you can say can convince me otherwise. We are trying to

follow the best examples...

Narrator (butting in)

The Municipality Governor was not able to explain where she saw these

significant benefits... or where she would get the missing 600 000 zlotys from

to balance the budget. The same questions and objections were raised during

the Council meeting by one of the Councillors who withdrew his initial support

for the wind farm.

Council meeting in the conference room….

Councillor II speaking with local accent

I have not signed it and I don't regret it. I don't. You're talking about revenues...

You're selling this land for thirty pieces of silver...

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Male voice I

A million zlotys of revenue is nothing compared to the sale of 10 or 15

recreational plots... And here you have your million...

Applause

Wiesława Sieńkowska Governor of Komarów Municipality and Stanisław Siek

Chairman of the Municipal Council speaking at the same time

But you, but you... No one has given you the floor.

Male voice I

Within a 50 kilometre radius no one will sell a plot here.


I don't know why you are presenting your opinions here. No one has given you

the floor and you... And it is my power as a chairman not to give the floor to

anyone from the audience. And I will exercise this power. And the discussion

will be over. We will vote the matter through and the game is over. Game

over…

Opposition among the audience is getting stronger. The voices intermingle

Male voice I

It is for people to decide, not for the chairman…


But I am granted such power…

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Male voice I

Hitler and Stalin were the ones who decided on their own…


And the Councillors will decide, so please calm down

Battlefield shouts echoing in the background: "For Poland!", "Charge!", ….

sound of taking out the sabre

(…)

They That Sow the Wind 42 Ifc Vienna 20'Strony

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Transcript of They That Sow the Wind 42 Ifc Vienna 20'Strony