Participation of Museum Staff in an Academic Seminar at the Józef Piłsudski Museum in Sulejówek
As part of the Independence Day celebrations held at the Józef Piłsudski Museum in Sulejówek, a scholarly seminar and panel discussion took place on 9 November under this year’s theme: “Independence is Us! Let Us Meet at the Piłsudski Family Home on National Independence Day 2025.” The event was entitled “Soldiers of the Polish Legions and the Polish–Bolshevik War as Victims of the Katyn Massacre.”
During the discussions, experts examined the Katyn Massacre in the context of public awareness and the ways in which individual victims have been remembered over subsequent decades. The focus extended beyond collective narratives to include the personal histories of those affected. Recalling the fates of these soldiers — many of whom had previously fought for Poland’s independence and the defence of its borders — also served as a tribute on the eve of the 107th anniversary of the restoration of independence.
The seminar brought together representatives of various institutions, including museums, libraries and research institutes. Discussions addressed the significance of source materials, memorabilia relating to the victims of the massacres in Katyn, Kharkiv, Tver and other execution sites in the spring of 1940, as well as the acquisition of artefacts for institutional collections and methods of commemorating soldiers whose devoted service to Poland often spanned more than a quarter of a century.
The Katyn Museum was represented by Dr Joanna Kurczab and Grzegorz Jakubczyk. During the seminar session, they presented the results of prosopographical research and highlighted some of the most interesting and valuable collections held by the Museum relating to soldiers of the Polish Legions. Their presentation was entitled: “Soldiers of the Polish Legions – Victims of the Katyn Massacre. Memory Preserved in Museum Collections.”
