The Regional Parliament and the Region Executive Board Bid Farewell to Prof. Jacek Woźny

With the participation of representatives of regional and city authorities as well as the academic community of Kujawy and Pomorze, funeral ceremonies for Prof. Jacek Woźny were held on Monday (January 5) in Bydgoszcz. Prof. Woźny was a scholar, public activist, and a Regional Councillor in the current term, posthumously awarded the region’s highest distinction – the Unitas Durat Palatinatus Cuiaviano-Pomeraniensis Medal. Last Friday, Councillors and Members of the Regional Executive Board paid tribute to Prof. Woźny during a ceremonial meeting at the Marshal’s Office.

“With wisdom, calmness, and openness, he brought people together. He will remain in our memory as a man devoted to the affairs of the region,” emphasized Elżbieta Piniewska, President of the Regional Parliament, as she opened Friday’s meeting.

“Someone has passed away who was not only an important and exceptional figure for us, but also a signpost in the search for the right direction and for truth. We listen carefully to what he told us and will strive to remain faithful to it. We will miss you, Jacek. You will remain in our memory!” said Marshal Piotr Całbecki.

In a very personal address, Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski bade farewell to Prof. Woźny. “I came to know him as a man open to discussion, who listened and tried to understand,” he said, recalling meetings not only in the forum of the Regional Parliament, but also within non-governmental organizations operating in Bydgoszcz, as well as their final meetings when he visited his friend in hospital.

Today’s funeral ceremonies – attended by Marshal Piotr Całbecki, Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski, Member of the Regional Executive Board Marek Wojtkowski, President of the Regional Parliament Elżbieta Piniewska, and Regional Councillors Robert Malinowski, Jacek Gajewski, and Michał Czepek – began with a funeral Mass at the Church of the Holy Cross. Prof. Jacek Woźny was laid to rest at the cemetery on Rynkowska Street.

Prof. Jacek Woźny (1962-2025), Rector of Kazimierz Wielki University from 2016 to 2024, was a historian and archaeologist, an outstanding scholar, a highly regarded academic teacher, and a public activist for Bydgoszcz and the region. He authored or co-authored nearly 200 scholarly works and served as vice-president and board member of the Bydgoszcz Scientific Society. He was active in the Kashubian Institute, the Society of Friends of the City of Bydgoszcz, the Council of the District Museum in Bydgoszcz (as chair), the Council of the Pałuki Land Museum in Żnin, and the Regional Council for the Protection of Monuments.

In the benches of the Regional Parliament – where he was known as a highly committed, diligent, and responsible councilor – he had served since 2024. He held the position of Vice-President of the Parliament’s Committee on Culture and National Heritage and also worked on the Audit Committee and the Committee on Education and Science.

See also: