The commemoration of the 74th anniversary of the death of Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki began at the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic with a morning briefing for journalists with the participation of Zofia Pilecka, daughter of Captain Pilecki, who presented several mementoes of her heroic father. Each of these keepsakes has its own, unique story.
Between 10 am and 6 pm, all visitors to the Museum had the opportunity to lay flowers and light a candle in tribute to Witold Pilecki at the wall of death where, after the war, sentences were carried out by shooting soldiers of the anti-communist pro-independence underground in the back of their heads. It was also possible to take a tour of the Museum in the footsteps of Captain Pilecki and see the mementos of Witold Pilecki which were only exhibited that day.
The evening part of the commemoration began with a Field Mass, during which Father Tomasz Trzaska, the Museum Chaplain delivered a sermon. It was followed by the presentation of commemorative statuettes to over a dozen individuals who had supported the Museum in the years 2016–2022. The Friends of the Museum statuettes were awarded to, among others, Zofia Pilecka-Optułowicz, Captain Pilecki’s daughter; Speaker of the Seym Antoni Macierewicz; Jan Józef Kasprzyk, Head of the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Repression; and Prof. Krzysztof Szwagrzyk, Deputy President of the IPN and the Director of the Institute's Office of Search and Identification; as well as Tomasz Łabuszewski, Ph.D., Head of the Warsaw Branch of the IPN Historical Research Office.
Well known Polish artists of both the older and the younger generation performed during a special concert "In tribute to Captain Pilecki" which took place at 8:30 p.m. at the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic. The songs chosen by the performers referred to Witold Pilecki’s extraordinary biography and portrayed images of the war, his steadfastness, and great sacrifice.
After the concert, the participants of the ceremony silently walked to the wall of death, in order to pay homage to Captain Witold Pilecki at 9:30 p.m., the hour of his death.
In the evening there was also an opportunity to purchase IPN books and educational games as well as the Museum’s special bulletin "37 Rakowiecka Street" with a CD of the "Forteca" band.
The celebrations of the 74th anniversary of the death of Captain Witold Pilecki were organized by the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic and the Institute of National Remembrance. The celebrations took place under the patronage of the 6th Mazovian Brigade of Territorial Defense, named after Captain Pilecki.