The ceremony of presenting Crosses of Freedom and Solidarity to activists of the democratic opposition from the times of the Polish People's Republic took place on 24 September 2021 at the John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin. Representatives of state and local authorities, the Army and uniformed services were invited to the ceremony.
The oppositionists were presented with decorations by the President of the Institute of National Remembrance Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D.
The awarded:
- Baranowska Alina
- Bodys Stanisław
- ks. Ciżmiński Jan Zdzisław
- Cholewa Antoni
- Filip Elżbieta
- Guc Zbigniew
- Jastrzębski Jan Janusz
- Jóźwiak Mieczysław
- Karczewska Jadwiga
- Koguciuk Zdzisław
- Kurek Ewa
- Mazurek Janusz
- Oleszek Adam
- Pikuła Krystyna
- Sobota Jan
- Stasz Kazimierz
- Tatara Tadeusz
- Wroński Józef
- Wysokiński Zenon
- Zieliński Euzebiusz
- Zaranek Andrzej
- Żebrowski Zygmunt
Post mortem awards:
- Bondos Alfred
- Bożyk Eugeniusz
- Cisak Jan
- Kurowski Stanisław
- Rękas Krystyna
- Tofil Marian
- Ważny Marian
- Zaguła Józef
The Institute Presiedent Karol Nawrocki said,
It was in 1939 that Poland lost its sovereignty, and not just for six years, but for the next five decades: first, it was taken by German Nazis and the Soviets, and then, in 1945, we lost it again in the Soviet invasion. We became a colony of the USSR, a country that remained enslaved for another forty years, until late 1980s.
And added,
From the loss of freedom in 1939, people who tried to regain it took place in nonstop relay race towards remembrance and independence, an effort that you also participated in.
Additionally, Karol Nawrocki stressed the role of the Lublin region in this independence effort,
In July 1980 it was here in Lublin that the "strike for dignity" took place, introducing August 1980. You were involved in that August, and "Solidarity" was also born here, in Lublin. 13 December 1981: many of you are interned or serve long sentences, while others continue their tireless work in the anti-communist underground. Finally, 1989, which, as evidenced by this meeting, was indeed a breakthrough, but the political transformation took too long. Some of the people who received the Crossed on behalf of their relatives, told me today, "I wish my dad had lived long enough."
The Cross of Freedom and Solidarity is awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland to members of the 1956-1989 anti-communist opposition in recognition of their activities for the independence and sovereignty of Poland, and fight for human rights in the People's Republic of Poland. The decoration design is based on pre-war independence crosses and medals.