“Eternal memory to the soldiers of the anti-communist underground,” Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote in a letter read out during the celebration of the National Day of Remembrance of the Indomitable Soldiers which falls on March 1.
In his address, read out at a museum dedicated to the soldiers, the president expressed his gratitude “to all individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions that contribute to the deepening and dissemination of knowledge about the history of the anti-communist underground with their excellent work.”
In his letter, Duda recalled the history of the Indomitable Soldiers and stressed the importance of remembering the people who gave their lives in the fight for a free and sovereign Poland.
’Steadfast and unyielding’
“Steadfast and unyielding – these were the Indomitable Soldiers!” – Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on social media on the occasion.
The head of the government recalled that “this year on March 1 we celebrate the National Day of Remembrance of ‘Indomitable Soldiers’ for the thirteenth time. He also pointed out that the holiday commemorating the heroes of the anti-communist independence underground was initiated in 2010 by the late President Lech Kaczyński.
On the 1st of March, Poland remembers the Indomitable Soldiers, who fought against Nazi and communist totalitarianisms. One of their leaders, Łukasz Cieplinski, was murdered on the 1st of March 1951 by the communist secret services. Listen to his story… pic.twitter.com/C1nY6noZCV
— Polish Embassy UK 🇵🇱 (@PolishEmbassyUK) March 1, 2023
“They were accused of crimes they did not commit. They were denied human dignity, while also disavowing their patriotism and the soldier’s oath they took. And they – tirelessly, continued to fight for a sovereign homeland,” Morawiecki stressed.
He pointed out that knowledge about the Indomitable Soldiers could not be found in schools for many years. “The history of the Indomitable Soldiers was passed on to me by my parents, so today I would especially like to emphasize the importance of values and history that are passed on in Polish families from generation to generation,” the prime minister wrote.
“We will not forget! Honor and glory to the Heroes!” – the head of the Polish government concluded.
The Indomitable Soldiers
The “Indomitable Soldiers are remembered as anti-communist freedom fighters who did not stop fighting after the turmoil of WWII ceased.
Following Nazi Germany’s defeat and the withdrawal of its forces from Polish territory, the Soviet Red Army and People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD), as well as Polish communists who took over power and introduced a totalitarian regime in Poland, became the new enemies for those disinclined to accept the communist reign of terror.
On March 1, 1951, in the prison in Warsaw, communist authorities shot seven members of the leadership of the “Freedom and Independence Union”, one of the major organizations of the anti-communist underground. They were sentenced to death after a show trial.
The seven leaders of WiN (Freedom and Independence) organization, who died 72 years ago, were buried in an unmarked grave – because the regime cursed such people and wanted them forgotten, erased from history.
1 March is the Cursed Soldiers National Remembrance Day. pic.twitter.com/F6WfZDHprH
— Institute of National Remembrance (@ipngovpl_eng) March 1, 2023
The anniversary of their execution has been commemorated as the National Indomitable Soldiers Remembrance Day since 2011.