April 29 Poles and Americans gathered for the 18th Annual Katyn Remembrance Ceremony at the National Katyn Memorial in Baltimore's Harbor East.
Organized by the National Katyn Memorial Foundation and our Embassy, the event commemorated the 22,000 Polish prisoners of war murdered by the NKVD in the Spring of 1940 on the direct order of Joseph Stalin. Furthermore, the memorial is dedicated to all mistreated prisoners-of-war.
An exceprt from Ambassador Wilczek's remarks, read at the remembrance ceremony,
"Dear ladies and gentlemen, honorable guests,
I begin by expressing my thanks to the organizers of today’s commemoration, the National Katyn Memorial Foundation. The men and women of this organization are incredible representatives of the strong Polonia of Maryland, and I express my heartfelt appreciation for their tireless work both today and throughout the year. We all know that events do not just happen by themselves, they are the result of great determination, and much behind the scenes work. Thank you for all that you do.
We have gathered once again here at the National Katyn Memorial to pay tribute to the martyrs of Katyn and to proclaim the triumph of truth.
The Katyn Massacre was more than just the premeditated murder of 22,000 Polish prisoners of war by the Soviet NKVD. It was the planned elimination of Polish intelligentsia, and de facto, an attempt to ensure that the Polish state would never rise again. "
Embassy of the Republic of Poland
in Washington D.C.
KATALOG FIRM W INTERNECIE
