THE CURSE OF KATYN Photo Gallery by Tomasz Dziubinski

THE CURSE OF KATYN

President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and scores of senior Polish politicians and government members have been killed in a plane crash in Russia.
The deputy parliament speaker, the deputy foreign minister, head of the National Security Office, Poland's army chiefs, central bank governor, senators and members of parliament, families of Polish prisoners of war murdered in the village of Katyn during WWII were also among 97 victims.
They were on their way to Katyn for the 70th anniversary of the massacre.

Thousands of people gathered outside presidential palace at Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street and at Pilsudski Square on Saturday evening to lay flowers and light candles in honor of President Kaczynski and other victims of the crash.

The Katyn Forest massacre was a mass murder of many thousands of Polish prisoners of war (primarily military officers, intellectuals, and other public servants) by the Soviet NKVD, based on a proposal from Lavrentiy Beria to execute all members of the Polish Officer Corps.
Dated 5 March 1940, this official document was then approved (signed) by the entire Soviet Politburo including Joseph Stalin and Lavrentiy Beria. The number of victims is estimated at about 22,000, the most commonly cited number being 21,768. The Katyn Forest massacre was the largest of the simultaneous executions of prisoners of war from geographically distant Starobelsk and Ostashkov camps, and the executions of political prisoners from West Belarus and West Ukraine, shot on Stalin's orders at Katyn Forest, at the NKVD headquarters in Smolensk, at a Smolensk slaughterhouse, and at prisons in Kalinin (Tver), Kharkov, Moscow, and other Soviet cities. For 50 years, the Soviet Union blamed the murder of more than 20,000 Polish officers on the Nazis, who uncovered one of the mass graves in the forest of Katyn in 1943. It was only in 1990 that Mikhail Gorbachev admitted Soviet responsibility.

What will be an impact of this sad accident on Polish polical scene and future of the country it yet has to be seen.
On the other side - looking at all positive things which have happened during last days in Russia, including some unprecedented statements and actions taken by Russian Prime Minister Putin - this tragedy may create a significant chance for reconciliation, for healing the wound caused by Katyn and finally for curing Polish-Russian relations.

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zyziza		24-Apr-2010 10:26
Tribute to the victims of this tragic crash! v

Syntia		23-Apr-2010 20:06
It's just thuth about how we've seen it here, in Poland.

Abescat Charles		20-Apr-2010 11:19
Mes condoleances au peuple polonais!

H2M		19-Apr-2010 19:02
Wonderful tribute Tomasz. My sincere sympathy to you and the Polish People. Hélène

Mike Boatner		19-Apr-2010 17:43
My condolences for the Polish People.

Ali Majdfar		19-Apr-2010 04:39
What a great tribute! May God Bless all the victims. ~V

princess		18-Apr-2010 08:53
My deepest sympathy for you All. Thank you for this excellent photojournalism work, Tomasz.

Joel Escala		18-Apr-2010 04:38
Deepest condolences to you and the Polish people.

kennyb		18-Apr-2010 02:57
My condolences and prayers to the people of Poland!

Marcela Mejia Photography		16-Apr-2010 01:54
I have been watching all these images everyday and been left speechless. What a tragedy . Thank you for delivering this excellent photojournalism work Tomasz.

Marina Arimany		15-Apr-2010 15:40
My condolences to the Polish nation, for this tragedy and for Katyn.

Guest		13-Apr-2010 21:20
A tragedy for Poland - may the reconcilliation between Poland and Russia be the lasting tribute to these people.

Marc Demoulin		13-Apr-2010 16:11
Sincere condolences to Polish people. Marc

shatterbug		12-Apr-2010 18:44
What a devastating loss...my thoughts are with you as your country tries to recover from this terrible tragedy..

Rosemarie Kusserow		12-Apr-2010 06:24
My deepest Condolences for you all Tomasz! What a lost! Rosemarie :o((

Paco L�pez		12-Apr-2010 04:34
My condolences for you and for all the Polish people. :o(

Guest		12-Apr-2010 03:53
I am so very sorry for Poland and for all the Polish People. What a terrible thing to happen.

waterfalls man		12-Apr-2010 01:25
Deepest Condolences for you All

Guest		11-Apr-2010 21:18
Our deepest condoleances for you, Jola and the Polish people for this tragedy. Marina & Ton

Blandine Mangin		11-Apr-2010 19:32
Mes condoléances dans ce moment difficile pour votre peuple !

Laura Sebastianelli		11-Apr-2010 17:18
my heart breaks for you and Jola and your country -- my deepest sympathy

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