"It was a revelation to see it all," says Anna Danuta Tchorzewska, 79, retired captain of the Polish Army and World War II veteran. Then a young girl, she took part in liberation battles for Poland and further advance, up to Berlin.
"I found here a picture of Zygmunt Berling, my commander. He was colonel at that time. There was an even more pleasant surprise-I met my comrades-in-arms at your show. Almost all of them served, like me, with the Tadeusz Kosciuszko 1st Polish Infantry Division [under General Berling's command]. This show has become a part of life for us veterans," the elderly lady said to Novosti.
Accompanying the exposition opening was public introduction of a Memory Book of Soviet soldiers fallen in battle in East Prussia, now Russia's Kaliningrad Region. Making the introduction was Sergei Gurov, who had led an editorial team of the book, which came out in Kaliningrad.
"The edition comprises 17 volumes to enlist 137,193 officers and men of the Soviet Army and Navy," said Mr. Gurov. Volumes 13 and 14 include the names of 153 foreign soldiers. 105 RAF pilots died while bombing Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad), August 1944. 48 Italian antifascists were exterminated in a death camp in Klein Deksen (now Furmanovo) not far from Konigsberg, he added.
"These seventeen volumes are our gift to the Russian Research and Cultural Centre library. I am passing them now on behalf of Vladimir Yegorov, Kaliningrad regional governor," said Gurov.
Sponsoring the exposition was the Polish-Russian Economic Consortium. It made a maiden appearance, September last, on the Polish Press Agency HQ in Warsaw. The show will travel on to Cracow and Poznan next year to mark the 60th anniversary of victory in World War II.
