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The Polish "cursed soldiers," who resisted the communist regime after World War II, are being commemorated throughout March in Poland. These patriots continued their fight for a sovereign Poland despite the country falling under Soviet influence following fraudulent elections in 1947.
General Leopold Okulicki of the Polish Home Army urged his soldiers to persist in their efforts for independence. He stated, “The war is not over... We will never agree to a different life, except in a fully sovereign, independent and fair Polish state.” This message resonated with those who chose to resist Sovietization.
Jan Zaryn, a Polish history professor, emphasized that faith was central to these soldiers' resolve. He noted that their Catholic beliefs were integral to their daily lives and choices. "What united all those military formations was a faith in God," he said.
Bishop Wieslaw Lechowicz highlighted the soldiers' spiritual role during dark times at a Mass on March 2 at the Museum of Cursed Soldiers in Warsaw. He remarked that they were a “source of light” when faced with adversity.
Father Tomasz Trzaska reflected on the devotion displayed by these soldiers through items like prayer books and rosaries found during arrests. He said, “Their faith was steadfast despite what they’ve been through.”
These fighters faced severe repression from communist authorities, including imprisonment and execution. Nearly 200,000 individuals participated in various underground formations post-war.
Among them was Captain Witold Pilecki, known as the "Polish wartime James Bond." Pilecki infiltrated Auschwitz voluntarily and organized resistance there before escaping with crucial intelligence. Arrested by communists later, he endured torture worse than Auschwitz's horrors until his execution in 1948.
Since 2011, March 1 has been marked as the National Day of Remembrance for these soldiers. The day honors those who sacrificed their lives for Poland’s freedom but were silenced until communism's fall in 1989.
Katarzyna Szalajko reports from Warsaw for OSV News.
