It took just one photograph from the collection of the Institute of National Remembrance – admittedly, quite a photograph – to spark huge interest in the girl wearing a Polish uniform, and to set in motion the efforts to identify her.

Within days, the Internet users put a name to the face, discovered the story behind the image, and dug out the details of the young woman’s background and later life. A story of defeated country, foreign exile, passionate love, tragic loss, and the resulting heartbreak unveiled, capturing the imagination of millions. As archetypal as it was – after all, the war generated countless similar stories – Maria Barr’s case attracted so much attention mainly because of its personal aspects, which struck a chord with many.

There are more captivating images in the IPN Archive, and more individual stories behind them; the photograph in question was only one of several in a file devoted to the Polish Armed Forces in the West, the file one of several photo folders, photo folders just one of several groups of records in the Intitute’s repository. Since more people are waiting to be identified, their stories uncovered, and their testimonies heard, the IPN Archive is running projects such the "The Archive ful of Remembrance" to make sure it happens.  

Read about the IPN's Archive here; here, find out about the "The Archive full of Remembrance" project.

Below are the other photos from the file that held Maria Barr's image: