The "Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom" exhibit, in late April launched in Pretoria, in early June popped by for a visit in the Johannesburg war history institution. As it turns out, it came to stay: the curators found it worthy of completing the Polish Connection display and educating the visitors on the lesser-known aspects of Poland's WWII experience.

"With this exhibit and the related initiatives, we’re reminding the world about the military effort of General Anders’ army or General Maczek’s soldiers, who spilled their blood liberating German-occupied countries of Western Europe," said the IPN President Karol Nawrocki, "It cannot leave out thousands of civilians, many of them children, or these hundreds that found refuge in South Africa, or Polish servicemen there. Poles ended up in several other countries of Southern and Eastern Africa, so we’re telling the local residents this extraordinary story of Polish freedom odyssey."

Polish Ambassador to South Africa Andrzej Kanthak added,

"The ‘Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom’ exhibit, brilliantly prepared by the IPN researchers, is an educational resource proving immensely helpful in telling the true history of Poland, especially in those countries which are not too familiar with it. The panels have just been included in the permanent exposition of the South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg, offering the visitors an opportunity to learn the stories of Polish war refugees, including the assisstance and solidarity they received in the Republic of South Africa, Rhodesia (today’s Zimbabwe) and Zambia. The exhibit is being showcased quite close to the memorabilia of South African pilots who flew relief missions to German-occupied Warsaw fighting in the uprising. Hardly can you find a better example of war comradeship, and hardly anything embodies human solidarity better. Africa received Polish refugees well: they found shelter, started families and built houses here, refusing to return to communist-dominated Poland. The ashes of fellow Poles mixed with this soil, and that’s what this exhibit reminds us of."

 And one more quote, from a report by Dave Rilley-Harris, the Museum curator:

"The Polish Embassy in South Africa and Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance created the new exhibition which graciously includes South Africa’s hosting of Polish refugees during the war. Terrible as the Second World War was, many nations were brought closer together as they stood side by side in the defence against fascist expansion. Poland and South Africa continue to enjoy a close relationship and the new exhibition is a healthy reminder of that relationship and a reminder of the sacrifices made for freedom, democracy, and nationhood. The exhibition is set to stand for an indefinite period of time having replaced the First World War Centenary Exhibition. The Polish Connection display remains a permanent fixture at the DNMMH."

Visit our website on the project: https://bit.ly/3NbgKjX, and see our collected resources: https://bit.ly/3srjhhQ

But first of all, see the footage of the project opening in Pretoria’s Freedom Park and a Polish church in Johannesburg: