President-elect marks Warsaw Rising anniversary
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
03.08.2015 09:05
President-elect Andrzej Duda took part in a mass on Sunday, marking the 71st anniversary of the WWII Warsaw Rising.
President-elect Andrzej Duda (2L) takes part in a mass marking the 71st anniversary of the Warsaw Rising. Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk
Following the mass, which was held at the Warsaw Rising Museum, Duda met with veterans, and well known Polish songs from the insurgency were sung.
A military reconstruction group presented the president-elect with insignia recently found in the Baltic port city of Gdańsk that had belonged to a Polish soldier.
The metal eagle most likely came from the cap of a Polish officer who fought during the Battle of Westerplatte, the first time Polish troops came under Nazi attack in World War II.
Sunday's closed event followed official commemorations on Saturday.
The 63-day insurgency against the Nazi occupiers began on 1 August 1944, and Polish commander General Tadeusz 'Bor' Komorowski capitulated on 2 October 1944.
Up to 200,000 people died during the rising, mostly civilians, and historians remain divided about whether the insurgency should have been launched.
President-elect Andrzej Duda is due to be sworn in on 6 August. (nh)
Source: PAP