’Wow! It did happen at last,’ commented the large audience on the Wroclaw Market Square upon the news. In spite of almost one hour of delay, they had been waiting patiently for the four Spirits of Wroclaw to arrive at the city centre. The Spirits had set off from four spots in Wroclaw, guiding inhabitants and guests along the way: the Spirit of Reconstruction had walked from the bus depot at ul. Grabiszyńska, the Spirit of the Flood had set off from the Dąbie tram depot, the Spirit of Innovation had marched from the Tadeusz Kościuszko Military Academy of Land Forces, whereas the Spirit of Many Faiths had begun its route from the former tram depot at ul. Legnicka.
The spirits had various stops on their routes, including illuminated installations, actors’ performances and happenings with the participation of cyclists, stilt walkers and acrobats. They were pushed by soldiers and prisoners from the Penitentiary at ul. Fiołkowa.
The Spirit of the Flood is both huge and gentle – it is a force of nature, so it cannot be managed or suppressed.
Each Spirit had its own colour – the Spirit of Reconstruction was red, the Spirit of the Flood was blue, the Spirit of Innovation was yellow and the Spirit of Many Faiths was green. Participants in the procession wore cloaks in relevant colours. They marched from stop to stop – the Spirit of the Flood told what had happened during the flood of the century in 1997. The symbolic wave of the Oder was carried by stilt walkers. The Spirit of Reconstruction recalled the experiences of the first repatriates who had arrived in Wroclaw and found their home there after World War II. The Spirit of Many Faiths referred to the multiculturalism of Wroclaw, where Germans, Jews and other national minorities lived beside one another. The Spirit of Innovation focused on the future of Wroclaw – the development of new technologies and media.
All Spirits reached the Market Square around 6:30 p.m. They circled in the area of Pl. Solny square and the Market Square; eventually, they stood still so that specialists in leather uniforms could combine them into one. During that time, the audience could watch participants in the Spirits’ processions: repatriates with suitcases, water waves and water monsters, innovators with torches, choir members and orchestras. The united Spirits rose up – a bell was hung on the tower to strike the European Capital of Culture in Wroclaw, and three angels flapped their wings over the Market Square in the culminate moment, scattering angelic feathers all around.
The Wroclaw inhabitants present on the square hit the bells, and angelic feathers shot up in the sky. That is how the European Capital of Culture Wroclaw 2016 began!
‘It was superb! I couldn’t see anything! I was frozen to the marrow! It’s too bad that the performers didn’t stand higher on the platform! A trivial scenario! A deep insight into the history of Wroclaw! It’s good that we could see everything on displays! I’m proud that I took part in such an important event’ – everyone in Wroclaw had his or her own opinion, but everybody was impressed by the commitment of ordinary inhabitants.
