Visit of the President of the Republic of Poland to the Katyn Museum
On Friday, 12 April 2024, on the eve of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Katyn Massacre, the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, visited the Katyn Museum. Accompanied by Professor Bogusław Pacek, Director of the Polish Army Museum, and Sebastian Karwat, Head of the Katyn Museum, the President laid a wreath at the Katyn Epitaph Memorial and lit candles at the commemorative plaques honouring the victims.
During the ceremony, President Duda emphasised the immense scale of Polish losses in the East during and after the Second World War, describing them as “a catastrophe for our nation”. He stressed the importance of remembering the victims, paying tribute to them, and continuing efforts to fully uncover and explain the details of the crime.
The President also noted that although Russia admitted responsibility for the massacre following the collapse of the Soviet Union, there are now renewed attempts to distort and erase historical truth. He underlined that archival documents clearly confirm that the order to murder Polish officers was issued by the leadership of the Soviet state under Joseph Stalin.
Referring to current events, President Duda also pointed to the crimes committed by Russian forces in the occupied territories of Ukraine, highlighting the continuing relevance of remembering the lessons of history.
