Thousands run in memory of Poland's 'Cursed Soldiers'
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
26.02.2017 18:38
Some 60,000 people throughout Poland have participated in memorial runs dedicated to members of post-WWII anti-communist resistance movements.
Runners in a Warsaw park. Photo:PAP/Radek Pietruszka.
The events, also held in New York, London and Vilnius, were organised ahead of Poland's National Day of the “Cursed Soldiers” on 1 March.
“Cursed Soldiers” refers to some members of Poland's anti-communist movements.
After Poland's official underground army (AK) of World War II disbanded in January 1945 thousands of Poles continued to fight in other formations as the Soviet Red Army extended its grip across the country.
A Soviet-backed communist regime was later installed in rigged 1947 elections after the war.
The anti-communist guerrillas were largely stamped out by 1948, although one fighter, Józef Franczak, was gunned down as late as 1963.
The marches held over the weekend were 1963 metres in length to commemorate Franczak's death. (ek/vb)