On 11 July 2026, the victims of the Volhynia Massacre were commemorated in Zielona Góra. Mateusz Szpytma, Ph.D., Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance, took part in the ceremonies.
The commemorations began with a Holy Mass, celebrated at the Co-Cathedral of St. Hedwig of Silesia in Zielona Góra. The main ceremonies and a military parade took place at the Monument to the Victims of the Volhynia Massacre on the Słowiański Square.
– Only dialogue grounded in respect for the memory of the victims will enable us to examine the most painful chapters of our shared history with integrity. Only such a responsible approach can prevent relations between our nations from being exploited by Russia's imperial policy to undermine trust between them, while providing a lasting foundation for good-neighbourly relations between Poland and Ukraine.
Facts cannot be negotiated, bargained away, or distorted for political expediency. They require rigorous examination of historical sources and the courage to call things by their proper names, in accordance with established scholarly findings. Every genuine understanding must be founded upon sincerity and truth, entirely free from relativisation, the anonymisation of perpetrators, or any attempt to justify the crimes that were committed
– wrote Prof. Karol Polejowski, the Deputy President in charge of the Institute, in a letter read by Mateusz Szpytma, Ph.D., Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN).
– We will never accept the glorification of criminals and perpetrators of genocide. Genuine reconciliation between Poland and Ukraine, as well as strong bilateral relations, must be built solely on mutual openness to the full truth about this unimaginable tragedy. Safeguarding the dignity and memory of our compatriots is our greatest obligation
– he emphasized.
During the ceremony, Mateusz Szpytma, Ph.D., thanked Małgorzata Gośniowska-Kola, president of the Huta Pieniacka Association, for her commitment and support of the IPN in its research efforts at Huta Pieniacka.
The IPN exhibition titled “Volhynia 1943: They Call Out from Graves That Do Not Exist” was also presented on the Old Town Square in Zielona Góra; it will be on view until 15 July 2026.
The event was organized by the Huta Pieniacka Association, the City of Zielona Góra, and the Association for the Memory of the Polish Borderlands, and held under the honorary patronage of Karol Nawrocki, President of the Republic of Poland.
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