Przedmiotem artykułu jest przejęcie przez państwo — uchwałą Rady Ministrów z 29 grudnia 1948 r. — kosztów pogrzebu zmarłego i pochowanego w Poznaniu odpowiednio 24 i 29 listopada 1948 r. wybitnego pianisty prof. Raula Koczalskiego. Autor upatruje w decyzji rządu, a w szczególności premiera Józefa Cyrankiewicza, dowód ostatecznego odcięcia się państwa od nieuzasadnionych a stawianych artyście tuż po II wojnie światowej zarzutów kolaboracji z hitlerowskimi zbrodniarzami. Autor odnosi się do ostatnich osiągnięć artystycznych Koczalskiego, porównuje też koszty jego pogrzebu i czas oczekiwania na ich refundację z innymi państwowymi pochówkami w latach 1947–1948. Komentuje także stanowione w latach 1954, 1960 i 1990 akty prawne składające kompetencję do decydowania o finansowaniu pogrzebów osób zasłużonych początkowo w gestię Prezydium Rządu, a następnie premiera.

The actions of the Council of Ministers and prime minister Józef Cyrankiewicz related to the funeral of Professor Raul Koczalski (1884–1948) at the Jeżyce Cemetery on November 29, 1948 in Poznań

In the resolution of the Council of Ministers of December 29, 1948, the State undertook to finance the funeral of an exceptional pianist, Professor Raul Koczalski, who died on November 24 and was buried on November 29 in Poznań. This decision is the subject of this article. For the author, this decision of the government, and in particular — of prime minister Józef Cyrankiewicz — is the ultimate proof that the state dismissed the unsubstantiated accusations that appeared after the Second World War concerning the alleged collaboration between the artist and Nazi war criminals. The author discusses the final artistic achievements of Koczalski, and compares the cost of his funeral and the time in which it was reimbursed with other state-organized funerals in the years 1947–1948. He also comments on the legal acts adopted in the years 1954, 1960, and 1990, in which the power to make decisions regarding the financing of funerals of distinguished individuals was passed first to the top ministers, and then the Prime Minister personally.

In the resolution of the Council of Ministers of December 29, 1948, the State undertook to finance the funeral of an exceptional pianist, Professor Raul Koczalski, who died on November 24 and was buried on November 29 in Poznań. This decision is the subject of this article. For the author, this decision of the government, and in particular — of prime minister Józef Cyrankiewicz — is the ultimate proof that the state dismissed the unsubstantiated accusations that appeared after the Second World War concerning the alleged collaboration between the artist and Nazi war criminals. The author discusses the final artistic achievements of Koczalski, and compares the cost of his funeral and the time in which it was reimbursed with other state-organized funerals in the years 1947–1948. He also comments on the legal acts adopted in the years 1954, 1960, and 1990, in which the power to make decisions regarding the financing of funerals of distinguished individuals was passed first to the top ministers, and then the Prime Minister personally.