Instytucja Kultury województwa Małopolskiego

The heroic fate of soldiers fighting at Monte Cassino

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“There is a compelling need in them – to speak. About their colleagues. About gunfire. About their wounds. About the officers. About this very great life shock, about the experience which burned out souls. They will be the soldiers from Monte Cassino for the rest of their lives. They measure every life circumstance against this memory.” These words were taken from Melchior Wańkowicz’s book entitled “Szkice pod Monte Cassino” (Sketches from Monte Cassino)… words which also refer to the soldiers from the land of Oświęcim whose heroic acts were shared on 16th September during the conference entitled “Tireless in the fight for their homeland – land of Oświęcim inhabitants on WWII frontlines” organised by the Land of Oświęcim Residents’ Memory Museum. This unique event, which took place in the Centre for Dialogue and Prayer, was held under the honorary patronage of Member of the European Parliament, Beata Szydło and District Head, Marcin Niedziela.

Host of the Centre, father Manfred Desalaer, welcomed the guests who was then followed by representatives of local and national authorities: Member of Polish Parliament Dorota Niedziela; Senator Andrzej Pająk, Deputy Principal Governor Zbigniew Starzec and District Head Marcin Niedziela.

As Land of Oświęcim Residents’ Memory Museum Director, Dorota Mleczko, said, the location of the conference was not random. “Today we have already heard about our ultimate HQ – the “Lagerhaus” which is located exactly on the opposite side of the street. The building was constructed around 1916 for the needs of a bakery, then during WWII it was used as a storehouse for the German SS staff of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau. We anticipate that the building will be completed and ready to house the new museum at end of 2021.”

The Land of Oświęcim Residents’ Memory Museum joined in the commemorations of the outbreak of WWII and in the words of Dorota Mleczko, “the conference is a moment to remember the soldiers from the land of Oświęcim who fought on various WWII frontlines and in particular to remember those who fought in one of the most important battles – that of “Monte Cassino.” The people we have heard about today are just a few of the many people from our area who fought on various fronts. I am grateful to family members that they were willing to share their memories and, in so doing, allow us to honour the memory of our local heroes. History is not just dry facts, above all, it is emotions which, though many years have passed, are still very much alive.”

During the first part of the conference, two lectures were given introducing the situation of Poles during WWII. Dr Wanda Łuczak and Dr. hab. Andrzej Synowiec from the Jagellonian University in Krakow spoke on “Poles on WWII frontlines.” “The Land of Oświęcim Memory Museum is a very important institution. The local people here should be appreciated. Let’s remember that Oświęcim is not just Auschwitz-Birkenau. Apart from Auschwitz, there was also a part of their heritage and culture here. I think it is very important and key to recall the people who lived here and escaped from here before the war,” said Dr. hab. Andrzej Synowiec.

The speakers mentioned above are also the creators of an exhibition located just outside the Centre entitled “Polish Army Units During WWII” which is kindly on loan from the Cracow Saltworks Museum in Wieliczka and will be available for viewing for the coming two weeks. It is a unique history lesson about the soldiers who shed their blood for their homeland and, in the majority of cases, were never able to return. The boards show the key battles in which Polish Army units participated in WWII.

The second part of the conference – testimonies given by family members of soldiers from this area who fought at Monte Cassino evoked much emotion. Since the Museum’s beginnings, staff have been regularly meeting with local residents, eyewitnesses of historical events, to record their heroic actions. In recording testimonies, the topic of local residents’ participation in the battle at Monte Cassino or the Battle for Britain in Division 303 has been mentioned many times.

It is impossible to remain indifferent to the stories told by Danuta and Stanisław Rydzon who presented Mr Stanisław Wrona, Danuta’s grandfather, who died 39 years ago. In honour of his service in the Anders Army, he received many British and Polish medals. However, on the way back from England, they were stolen. Stanisław Rydzon, who is Danuta’s granddaughter’s husband, applied to the British Embassy in Warsaw for replacements.

Andrzej Kolasa recalled the story of his father – Władysław Kolasa – who was a resident of Oświęcim. Andrzej says during his childhood at home, little was said about the heroism of Polish soldiers from the Second Polish Corps under General W. Anders who fought over the German fortified monastery on the top of the hill at Monte Cassino. Instead, he often heard the words, “the less you know, the better.” The battles were rarely mentioned. Important Army medals and documents which were at home paid silent tribute to their existence.

Mrs Marzena Borkowska, history teacher in the school/pre-school complex in Osiek and resident of the same village, author of articles written about history in Echo Osieka, presented the story of eight men from Osiek who fought at Monte Cassino. She told of the fate of Franciszek Kacorzyk whose son was present at the conference.

Mrs Joanna Cebulska of the Land of Oświęcim Residents’ Memory Museum shared the memories that Janina Okońska has of her father Piotr Czyż, also resident of Oświęcim.

This section was accompanied by a display of documents, awards and photographs from WWII period which belong to the families of the soldiers or have been kindly loaned by director Maria Koperska and history teacher Bożena Talaga Krzysiak from the “Izba Pamięci” (Chamber of Memory) located at  Monte Cassino School nr 2 in Kęty.

 

This was the second conference to take place this year. Both events were received with great interest by residents of Oświęcim and surrounding area as well as history lovers.