1st International Conference: “Witnesses and Testimonies of the Katyn Massacre”
On 17 September 2024, the Katyn Museum hosted the 1st International Conference, “Witnesses and Testimonies of the Katyn Massacre” — an event devoted to exploring historical evidence, eyewitness accounts, and ongoing research into one of the most tragic chapters of 20th-century history.
During the conference, Dr Witold Wasilewski presented the historical context of the testimony given before the Madden Committee by Lt Col John H. Van Vliet Jr and Capt Donald B. Stewart — American witnesses who were present at the discovery of the Katyn mass graves in 1943.
Dr Bartłomiej Bydoń discussed the significance of the Roy Towers recordings as important evidence in the investigation of the Katyn massacre, presenting excerpts from a newly edited film that has since enriched the permanent exhibition at the Katyn Museum.
Mariusz Winiecki shared the story of prisoners held in the Oflag camp in Szubin, highlighting that their experience was far more than the ordinary fate of soldiers in captivity — it was also a struggle to preserve dignity, truth, and freedom.
As host of the event, Sebastian Karwat, Head of the Katyn Museum, presented selected archival holdings from the museum’s collection. He drew particular attention to exceptionally valuable documents recovered from burial sites, describing them as among the most precious collections held by the Polish Army Museum.
In his lecture, Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz outlined the scope and research potential of the project “Lexicon of Katyn Archaeology”, demonstrating its importance for future scholarly work.
The conference concluded with a presentation by Professor Anna Zalewska, who offered an archaeological perspective on what still remains to be investigated — what is currently unseen, concealed, and as yet inaccessible to researchers.
On behalf of Sebastian Karwat and the entire team at the Katyn Museum, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all guests and speakers for their participation and contribution to this important event.
