In less than a month will begin the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gorlice. We are pleased to present a rich program of planned events  starting at the end of April 2015. But the most important celebration will be held on 1 and 2 May 2015 including a parade of troops and the performance of the battle. Please take a look at the details of the progra:

30th April 2015 (Thursday)
Folk-rock music concert "Four Sides of Carpathians" - 6 p.m.
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Description: Concert of folk and rock bands from countries which participated in the Battle of Gorlice in 1915.

1st May 2015 (Friday)
Ecumenical prayer for the fallen in the Battle of Gorlice with the Roll Call of the Dead at noon
Place: Gorlice, Cemetery no. 91, Korczaka Street
Description: At the cemetery no. 91, the place of eternal rest of almost 1000 soldiers, military chaplains will say an ecumenical prayer for the fallen in the Battle of Gorlice. In the presence of military units and historical re-enactment groups, the Roll Call of the Dead will be read. At the end the delegations and both military and civil colour parties will pay homage to the soldiers resting on the cemetery, by laying wreaths and flowers at the foot of the central cross-monument.

Parade of military orchestras and historical re-enactment groups from the place of the ecumenical prayer (cemetery no. 91) to the market square in Gorlice
Description: Parade of the historical re-enactment groups dressed in uniforms of the units participating in the Battle of Gorlice along the town’s streets. The re-enactment groups will be accompanied by the military orchestras from Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany.

Official opening of the celebrations
Date and hour: 1st May 2015, 2 p.m.
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Organizer: Gorlice town

Parade drill and concert of military orchestras
Date and place: 1st May 2015, 2.15 p.m.
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Organizer: Gorlice town
Description: Parade drill presented by the re-enactment groups from Austria, Hungary, Germany, Russia and other countries where the participants in the Battle of Gorlice lived. On the Market Square in Gorlice members of particular groups dressed in uniforms of the units participating in the

1915 Battle of Gorlice will demonstrate military training elements characteristic to the presented military unit – marches, shows with weapon etc. Parade drills of particular groups will be accompanied by military orchestras presenting melodies from the time of the Great War, and after the parade drill, other musical works from that period.

Verbal and musical performance entitled "Gorlice Ballad"
Date and place: 1st May 2015, 7 p.m.
Place: Gorlice, Minor Basilica
Organizer: Gorlice town
Description: Concert with elements of a show about soldiers fallen during the Battle of Gorlice, all the soldiers fallen on the fronts of World War I, and the tragedy of the population of Gorlice. Bogusław Słupczyński’s screenplay will be based on the memoirs of the colonel Franciszek Latynik, commander of the 100th Regiment of Cieszyn Region, which he commanded during breaking the front on the hill of Pustki near Gorlice, and on the memoirs of the priest Bronisław Świeykowski.
The narrative about those days also includes poetry of a relatively unknown poet, Edward Słoński –
a soldier and a patriot. A composer Krzysztof Gawlas is the author of the repertoire and of one of the works. The text of personal accounts will serve as a soundtrack. The poetry of Edward Słoński will be recited live by actors.
"Wałasi" band of Zbigniew Wałach from Istebna will also participate in the concert. His grandfather, Jan Wałach is the author of a monumental sketch of the Battle of Gorlice. In 1915 Jan Wałach was a soldier of the 100th Regiment of Cieszyn Region.
The concert performances will be supplemented with stage movement. Artistic movement and dance visualization will emphasise the music’s power of expression. Choreography by Anna Kasprzak performed by dancing actors will embrace the sacred nature of the place. The concert-performance will be accompanied by a multimedia presentation prepared by Szymon Krupka and shown on the internal side of the cupola of the church presbytery. The projection will present the destruction of the town and surrounding areas, and the tragedy of the Gorlice front. The historical re-enactment groups will also be involved in the performance by engaging themselves in paratheatrical and directed activities.

Presentation of a replica of the Montgolfier brothers’ balloon
Date and hour: 1st May 2015, 9 p.m.
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Organizer: Gorlice town
Description: Presentation of a replica of the Montgolfier brothers’ balloon in the form of a reconstruction of pre-flight operations, inflation and take-off. The presentation will be given by a flying team dressed in uniforms from that period, among props, with pyrotechnical effects and music.

2nd May 2015 (Saturday)
Holy Mass in the Minor Basilica of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015, 9 a.m.
Place: Gorlice, Church Square
Organizer: Gorlice town

Unveiling and blessing of the memorial plaque memorizing Józef Piłsudski at the Lasocki family tenement house
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015, 10 a.m.
Place: Gorlice, Piłsudskiego Street
Organizer: Gorlice town

Laying a wreath under the plaque at the Municipal Office by the citizens of Gorlice
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015, 11 a.m.
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Organizer: Gorlice town
Classic cars exhibition
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015, noon
Place: Gorlice – Market Square
Organizer: Gorlice town

Re-enactment of an episode of the Battle of Gorlice
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015
Place: Sękowa near Gorlice
Organizer: Sękowa commune
1.50-2.00 p.m. Greeting the guests
2.00-2.20 p.m. Presentation of sub-units
2.20-3.45 p.m. Battle performance
3.45-5.15 p.m. Concert of military orchestras
5.15-5.45 p.m. Citizens of Sękowo – in homage to the fallen soldiers
5.45-6.45 p.m. Horse riding show
6.45-8.15 p.m. Verbal-musical performance “When cannons thunder, the Muses do not fall silent”
Description: The prepared historical re-enactment will allow the viewers to go back in time and experience the atmosphere of terror from the past. Planes flying in over the heads of the public, flames, a horrible roar, fear and horror – one has to see it as it is impossible to find words to describe the emotions accompanying the show.

Public celebrations
Date and hour: 2nd May 2015, 3.45 p.m.
Place: Łużna near Gorlice
Organizer: Ministry of National Defence / Governor of Lesser Poland / Łużna commune