The ceremony on the occasion of the Polish National Day of Remembrance of the Cursed Soldiers was held on the square in front of the penitentiary in Racibórz, where the monument commemorating the heroes who had sacrificed their lives for the independent homeland was erected. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Institute of National Remembrance, Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D., and the Director of the IPN’s Katowice Branch, Andrzej Sznajder, Ph.D.
“Whoever sees history as a mere record of the past is naive. So are people blind to certain mechanisms and factors, people who won't look back to build prosperity, peace and security in the 21st century, who won't think about our future," — said the President of the IPN during the ceremony of the unveiling of the monument, referring to both historical and recent events.
When in the 19th century Polish partisans fought in the January Uprising for free and independent Poland, tsarist Russia called them terrorists. When in 1920 the Bolshevik hordes marched on Europe, the Soviets claimed that they were going to build a new, free and democratic world. After 17 September 1939, the Soviets claimed liberation of western Belarus and western Ukraine. The “liberators”, as they wanted to call themselves, also came to Poland in 1945 to murder Polish heroes, rape Polish women and destroy the spirit of Polish independence” — recalled Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D. — now, in the 21st century, we can witness historical events. Soldiers dressed in uniforms of the Russian Federation are “liberating” Ukraine by murdering women, children and killing soldiers of the independent state.
The ceremony in Racibórz was attended by representatives of the heroes' families, state officials, clergy and the town’s inhabitants. The unveiling of the monument was preceded by a conference in the main hall of the Regional Court in Racibórz entitled “The Search and Identification of the Cursed Soldiers who died in the prison and were buried in the Jerusalem Cemetery in Racibórz”. Bishop Wiesław Lechowicz celebrated a holy mass for the intention of the Unbreakable at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sunday's celebration of the National Day of Remembrance of the Cursed Soldiers ended with a concert in the Racibórz Cultural Center.