The President of the Institute of National Remembrance would like to cordially invite You to visit our newest website, dedicated to Rotamaster (Cavalry Captain) Witold Pilecki – hero of two wars, volunteer to Auschwitz, a partisan of the Warsaw Uprising and a martyr at the hands of the totalitarian communist regime – one of Poland’s bravest and most righteous heroes of all time.

From October 15, 2008 an English version of the internet portal dedicated to Rotamaster Witold Pilecki (www.en.pilecki.ipn.gov.pl), finally becomes available for the international user. It constitutes one of the many of our endeavors to commemorate Pilecki’s life and the remembrance of him, as well as present his figure as an uncompromised example of Polish patriotism, bravery and perseverance in facing the overwhelming forces of the enemies.

The distinguished English historian, Professor Michael Foot, in his book Six Faces of Courage, ranked Rotamaster Witold Pilecki as one of the six bravest World War II resistance fighters. 60 years ago, on May 25, 1948 Witold Pilecki was executed with a shot to the back of the head, as a result of a communist verdict. He is considered universally as one of the most valiant and faithful soldiers of the Republic of Poland. Until the year 1989, all information about his achievements and tragic fate the subject of communist censorship. The place of his burial remains unknown to this day.

“The figure of Rotamaster Witold Pilecki constitutes a symbol of sacrifice, as offered by the Polish society on the altar of the country that underwent both occupations: the German and Soviet. The symbol has become even more telling since, as an unchallenged hero of the fight for independence, he was regarded by the Communist regime as a traitor and criminal.”
 

– President of the Institute of NationalRemembrance, dr. Janusz Kurtyka,from the introduction of the

“Rotamaster Witold Pilecki” album