The tenth anniversary Podlaskie Shadow March took place through the streets of Bialystok. The action is dedicated to the memory of Polish officers, soldiers of the Polish Army, the Border Guard Corps and the state police, as well as the victims of Katyn killed by the Soviets, the organizer of the march from the “Grupa Wschod” society notes Andrzej Bieluczyk.
“We also want to remind you about this date – September 17th. Here in our eastern territories, where there was an occupation, this is a special date. The soldiers who fought in the 42nd regiment, defending the city from the Germans, retreated to Vaukavysk, later to Grodna, and later to Vilnius. There was fighting all the time,” he said.
The march took place in silence from the Church of St. Roch along the streets of Krakowska, Kilinski and Maria Sklodowska-Curie to the Katyn Monument, a place of prayer and perpetuation of the memory of not only killed officers and soldiers, but also peaceful victims, says reconstructor Zdzislaw Pruszinski.
“These were our predecessors – grandfathers, great-grandfathers. They gave their lives so that we could stand here freely today, speak Polish, and express our thoughts and desires. Our desire is to be honored annually in such marches that take place all over Poland,” said the reenactor.
The initiators and organizers of the patriotic action were the reconstruction clubs of Podlasie, which thus preserve and popularize historical memory among the population.
