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12.05.2020

In tribute to Józef Piłsudski and Władysław Anders

The President of the Institute of National Remembrance honored Józef Piłsudski on the 85th anniversary of the death of the First Marshal of Poland. Flowers were also laid in front of the monument to General Władysław Anders, who passed away on 12 May 1970, Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square in Warsaw, 12 May 2020.

The ceremony will start at noon. The President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej duda, the president of the Institute of National Remembrance Jarosław Szarek and the Head of the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression Jan Józef Kasprzyk laid flowers in front of the monument to Marshal Józef Piłsudski, located at the Warsaw Garrison Command.

 

 

During the second part of the ceremony, at 12:15,  wreaths were laid in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of General Władysław Anders.

 

 

 

Homage to General Władysław Anders was also paid in Błonie-Krośniewice (Łódź Voivodeship), the General’s birthplace. The IPN’s President, Jarosław Szarek, Dariusz Rogut, the Director of the IPN's branch in Łódź and Jan Józef Kasprzyk met at the local monument at 14.30.

 

 

 

 “He gave Poland freedom, borders, power and respect.” These words uttered by the President of the Republic of Poland Ignacy Mościcki on the day of the funeral of Józef Piłsudski (18671935), perfectly reflected the Marshal’s role in Poland’s history. Piłsudski formulated the idea of ​​ armed struggle for independence at a time when only a fraction of Polish society had faith in its fulfillment. Nevertheless, he consistently put theory into practice. He initiated the creation of the Union of Active Struggle and the Riflemen’s Association before World War I. He commanded the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions and fought for independence with Russia. He later challenged the other partitioning powers - Germany and Austria-Hungary, who imprisoned him in a fortress in Magdeburg. In November 1918, in accordance with the will of the nation, he became the Chief of State and began the process of building Polish statehood and the Polish Army. As the Supreme Commander, he led the army to war on the eastern border of the Republic of Poland. The victory in this struggle and the repelling of the Bolshevik invasion, were of fundamental importance to the being of the young state. On the hundredth anniversary of Poland regaining its independence, the IPN prepared a richly illustrated album depicting the life of Józef Piłsudski  entitled Twórca Niepodległej, with an introduction written by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.

 

In September 1939, General Władysław Anders (18921970) commanded the Nowogródzka Cavalry Brigade until he was arrested by the Soviets. Following the signing of the Polish-Soviet agreement of 30 July 1941, Anders was released from his cell on 4 August, having spent 22 months in Soviet prisons. He was appointed Commander of the Polish Army in the USSR. The establishment of a new army began in the first decade of September 1941 in Totskoye, Tatishchev and Buzuluk. Thanks to Anders's efforts, from 24 March to 4 April 1942, soldiers and civilians, including a large number of children, were evacuated from the Soviet Union. Finally, at the end of July 1942, a decision was made to evacuate the remaining soldiers to Iran. The trail of the Polish Army in the East led through Iran, Iraq and Syria to Palestine. After 21 July 1943, General Anders took command of the 2nd Corps, headed for the Italian front. At the turn of 1943 and 1944, Polish units were transported to Italy. General Anders' troops participated in the battles for Monte Cassino. According to a BBC Radio announcement, the hill and monastery were seized on 18 May 1944. In the half-year battle of Monte Cassino, the losses of the 2nd Corps amounted to 923 dead and 2931 wounded.


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