Poland pays tribute to resistance fighters killed by communists 72 years ago

Siedzikówna (also known as Inka, her nom de guerre) was a medical orderly and was executed when she was just 17 years old.

She was killed together with Selmanowicz (codename Zagończyk) in the northern city of Gdańsk on 28 August 1946, by the Soviet-backed communist regime that came to power in Poland after World War II.

Many who had served in the Home Army (AK), the underground force loyal to the Polish government-in-exile in the UK, were victims of a wave of terror after the war, were vilified as enemies of the state, killed and buried secretly in unnamed graves.

Inka’s and Zagończyk’s remains were found in late 2014 by a team from Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) led by Krzysztof Szwagrzyk.

Memorial ceremonies were on Tuesday scheduled to be held in Gdańsk, on Poland's Baltic coast, where a funeral with special honours for the two resistance fighters took place two years ago.

The 2016 funeral ceremonies, which marked the 70th anniversary of their execution, were attended by senior Polish officials, including President Andrzej Duda.

A decision to posthumously promote the two heroes was announced during a Mass before the funeral.

President Andrzej Duda said at the time: "A country needs heroes to be strong and to be able to bring up the next generations."

(gs)

Source: PAP/IAR