– We are meeting on the 80th anniversary of the death of General Roja and presenting yet another commemoration carried out by the Institute of National Remembrance. I would like to thank the Mayor of Kielce, Bogdan Wenta, for excellent cooperation during the work on this project. (...) A monument commemorating the General has been erected at his place of death – said Jarosław Szarek, the President of the Institute of National Remembrance during the conference.

– We have been able to find testimonies of eyewitnesses who spoke about General Roja’s great patriotism. When asked by German soldiers who he was, the General always proudly answered: “ Divisional General of the Polish Army”. He was a great man –  the Mayor of Kielce, Bogdan Wenta emphasized.

Adam Siwek, the Director of the IPN’s Office for Commemorating the Struggle and Martyrdom, spoke about the significance of the monument. – This is an important commemoration not only because of the General’s merits, but also the location. Germany is an important field of activity for the Institute of National Remembrance. Unfortunately, for years, we have been observing a very disturbing phenomenon – the disappearance of the names of Polish victims from German cemeteries – Adam Siwek stated.

The President of the IPN, Jarosław Szarek Ph.D. and the Mayor of Kielce, Bogdan Wenta, signed a letter of intent regarding cooperation on the commemoration of General Roja at the former German concentration camp in Sachsenhausen. The document was signed during the press conference.

Bolesław Roja (1876–1940) was one of the most important commanders of the Polish Legions and one of four people who signed the order to form the Polish Army in the independent Poland. During World War II he was active in the Polish Red Cross. Arrested by the Germans, he was transferred the Sachsenhausen German concentration camp, where he was murdered on 27 May 1940.

The press conference is  also held online. Journalists may ask questions via chat.