Lech Walesa Made Into Mascot
Made by a company from a town near Gdansk, the mascot's representation is unmistakable due to characteristic Wałęsa-style drooping moustache. And lest you are mistaken, the 10-centimetre felt creation has a characteristic feature, resembling the minature plaque of Our Lady of Częstochowa, one of the Solidarność heroes' hallmarks.
A limited edition of 200 felt Wałęsa keychains were made especially for the opening of an exhibition of the European Solidarity Centre in Brusells. They all were handed out at the time, to much excitement of the donees.
"We once spotted a felt mascot of Lech Wałęsa during a design fair, and during preparations to the exhibition we deided it would be a good to use the idea, as Lech Wałęsa is immediately associated with Poland, Gdańsk and Solidarity" said Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, a spokesperson for the European Solidarity Centre. However, before doing so, the Centre decided to consult Jarosław Wałęsa, an EU parlamentarian and a son of the former president.
"At first I was sceptical about the idea, but I changed my mind when I saw the mascott. It looks hearty, but amusing, and makes you smile. Many people keep asking me where they can get a gadget like that. Now I think this is a good idea, after all, why not promote in a fun way?
The mascot was made by Bambak company from Lublewo Gdańskie, near Gdańsk, who also made likenesses of other celebrities: writer Günter Grass, radio celebrity Wojciech Mann and a rock singer, Artur Rojek from band Myslowitz.
"We are sometimes commissioned to make felt effigies, "bambaks", of single people, e.g. a wife asked us to make a bambak of her husband" said Aleksandra Trościankowska from Bambak. "However, we do not agree to go for each order. For example, we have been asked to make a bambak of Sławomir Nowak [an infamous former Minister of Transportation - ed.], and since we do not identify with his life's philosophy, we have set a prohitibitively high pricing" said she.
Apparently, Lech Wałęsa has not yet seen a mascot with his likeness. "When I see him, I'll ask him how he likes it" assures his son, Jarosław.
