polishhistory: In the spring of 1940, the Soviet secret police committed an unprecedented crime by secretly murdering nearly 22,000 Polish citizens. What place does this tragedy occupy in Polish national memory? Professor Tadeusz Wolsza: The Katyń massacre permanently, painfully, and deeply entered into our national history. Each subsequent anniversary is accompanied by new editions of…
On the morning of 10 April 2010, news spread around the world about the crash of the Polish government plane near the city of Smolensk in Russia. by Piotr Bejrowski Polish society still honors the memory of the victims of the unprecedented crime that the Soviets committed against Polish officers in the spring of 1940,…
Recalling the Katyn Massacre was an important aspect of the activities of the democratic opposition in the Polish People’s Republic (PRL), one of the reasons being the subject’s high importance for society back then. by Grzegorz Majchrzak This is best exemplified by the fact that a booklet by Ryszard Zieliński entitled ‘Katyń’ was the…
He was an implacable anti-communist, stubborn and consistent in his views. Ethnic, national, and class perspectives were relegated to the background when it came to individual freedom. That is why he had the greatest empathy for the defeated whom the world forgot after the Second World War. by Piotr Abryszeński ‘I am in favour…
1. It happened 70 years ago. They were tied up and killed with a shot to the back of the head, as there was less blood spilt this way. Later on the bodies – still with the buttons of their uniforms depicting eagles on – were placed in deep ditches. Here, in Katyn, four thousand…
In his new book, Tadeusz Wolsza returns to the terrifying Katyn massacre, focusing primarily on the intricate structure of an astonishing lie. Once again, he proves that perpetuating untruth has tragic consequences. by Igor Niewiadomski In the 2017 competition by the Janusz Kurtyka Foundation, the Polish version of the book was awarded first prize. Its…
