2017-03-01 22:35 update: 2018-09-26, 23:53
Warszawa, 01.03.2017. Wicepremier, minister kultury Piotr Gliński (na zdj.) wraz z innymi przedstawicielami władz, kombatantów oraz organizacji społecznych złożył 1 bm. wieńce przed tablicą przy ul. Koszykowej w Warszawie, upamiętniającą żołnierzy powojennego podziemia niepodległościowego, więzionych i torturowanych w latach 1945-1954 w dawnym gmachu Ministerstwa Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego (dziś mieści się tu Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości). W całej Polsce obchodzone są dziś uroczystości związane z Narodowym Dniem Pamięci Żołnierzy Wyklętych. (jt/awol) Fot. PAP/Jacek Turczyk
The reason why Poland's anti-communist Enduring Soldiers were also called "cursed soldiers" was that they were to be forgotten, Culture Minister Piotr Glinski said Wednesday during Warsaw celebrations of Enduring Soldiers National Remembrance Day (Mar. 1).
On Wednesday Glinski laid flowers under a memorial plaque in Warsaw's Koszykowa Street to members of Poland's Enduring Soldiers post-war anti-communist underground imprisoned and tortured between 1945 and 1954 in the onetime seat of the communist Ministry of Public Security, which today houses Poland's Justice Ministry.
In his address Glinski reminded that this year's Enduring Soldiers National Remembrance Day celebrations were already the 7th, and that the March 1 observations were instituted on an initiative by Poland's former President Lech Kaczynski and former National Remembrance Institute (IPN) head Janusz Kurtyka, both of whom died in the 2010 Smolensk air disaster which killed 96 people including top Polish state and military officials.
"On March 1 2017 we certainly have reason to celebrate. After years of condoning lies the (Polish - PAP) Republic is paying due homage to those of its sons and daughters who in times of extremely difficult choices (...) chose dignity and honour in their uncompromising defence of fundamental values which were then being buried by the so-called people's government", Glinski said, emphasising that because of their stance the Enduring Soldiers were "cursed" by the communists.
Glinski observed that the main reason why the communists branded the Enduring Soldiers as 'cursed' was that they wanted them to be forgotten by Poles. "Fortunately today their deeds are restored as symbols of heroism" - concluded minister Piotr Glinski.(PAP)
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