It is named in Poland as Katyń 1940. On spring this year 19 thousand prisoners of war-polish officers was mordered. It was a half of polish army. Prisoners were taken avay to the forest and they were killed by shooting their back of head. The fatalities were buried in collective gravers in Katyń, Smoleńsk, Miednoje near Twer and Patichatki. The families of officers didn’t know, what happened.

Places weren’t marked. The crime was kept in the strictest confidence. In 1943 the true was revealed. The graves in Katyń were found. The crime is genocide, but Russia don’t accept it.

Exhumation Exhumation w as done in eight collective gravers in 1943. Over 4100 bodies were get out. They had polish uniforms, notes, and another small personal things.

A lot of times Poles tried to find true out but Russia always evaded. The mordered officers were decorated with a Virtuti Militari Cross. Only 395 prisoners were saved from death and were taken to the Juchnowiec camp and next to the Griaz Camp. Now on the places, where was found the crime are cementeries and a lot of commemorating plates.

In 2007 the film „Katyń” by polish director Andrew Wajda was began to project on the screen. It shows this history, which need’t repeat.

by Agnieszka Jurkiewicz