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15.02.2022

The opening of the exhibition "The Home Army" — Cracow, 14 February 2022

Love for Poland does not demand anything, does not expect applause. Not for monuments, not for honors did nearly 400 thousand soldiers of the Home Army, among them 40 thousand wonderful women, undertake the fight for freedom,

said the IPN President Karol Nawrocki during the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Home Army establishment held in Cracow, Poland.

 

Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D. emphasized the context of the establishment of the Home Army, which is well shown in the exhibition prepared by the IPN. The exhibition presents the beginnings of the Home Army in the light of the political situation in Poland and Europe at the time. It contains an introduction to the structures of the Polish Underground State alongside with portraits of the Home Army Commanders and most prominent Officers. A significant part is devoted to the Warsaw Uprising and the fate of the soldiers after the Home Army was dissolved, and after the Armed Forces Delegation for Poland was established. The “Freedom and Independence” organization continued the fight against the Soviet occupant.

The President of the IPN opened the exhibition together with the Governor of the Malopolska Province Lukasz Kmita while Lieutenant Jan Lohmann "Feliks" shared his memories of the Home Army. . The IPN exhibition was accompanied by an educational stand with free publications of the Institute.

The Home Army is one of our most important legacies that we should preserve and pass on to future generations,

said Adam Hlebowicz, Director of the National Education Office of the IPN.

 

The exposition, consisting of 87 display boards, will be travelling around Poland until March 2023, visiting following cities: Kielce, Katowice, Szczecin, Rzeszów, Łódź, Lublin, Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz, Poznań, Opole, Białystok and Olsztyn.

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The opening of the "Home Army" exhibition was preceded by ceremonies at Wawel Cathedral and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Matejko Square.

Out of love for Poland, they abandoned political disputes in order to serve the Motherland. The Home Army was made up of patriots: socialists, peasants, Christian democrats, Piłsudski loyalists and nationalists. Today they are our heroes,

said the President of the IPN during his speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

At the end of the ceremonies, the president of IPN and the Governor of Małopolska Province governor laid flowers at the monument devoted to the military efforts of the Fighting Poland in Powiśle Street.

 

See more about The Home Army

 


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