A Wall of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Tragedy Will Be Erected in Warsaw
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that a Wall of Remembrance will be erected in Warsaw, featuring an eternal flame and the names of all confirmed Polish victims of the 20th-century wars in Ukraine, including the Volhynia tragedy. According to him, the memory of the dead must be preserved, but history should not become a cause of new hostility between nations.
The Polish prime minister noted that, after a long hiatus, the government has managed to resume search and exhumation efforts on Ukrainian territory. This involves the search for and proper reburial of Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy and other 20th-century wars who have remained unidentified or unburied to this day.
Tusk emphasized that every person deserves to have their name known and preserved. “That is why a Wall of Remembrance with an eternal flame and the names of every victim found and identified will be erected in Warsaw. Poland will not forget a single one of them,” said the head of the Polish government.
At the same time, he stressed that preserving historical memory should not fuel new conflicts between Ukrainians and Poles. “The answer to nationalism cannot be even more nationalism. Memory and truth should help us build a better future—without hatred and without contempt,” Tusk stated.
According to him, it was precisely an honest conversation about the past that helped postwar Europe become a space of peace and cooperation. “Anyone who wants to join this community must be prepared for this truth,” the Polish prime minister emphasized.
Tusk also drew attention to the current challenges facing Poland, Ukraine, and all of Europe. He noted that it is important today for countries to remain allies and respond together to shared threats. “Today, we are responsible for our future and the safety of our children and grandchildren. This is a shared responsibility of Poland, Ukraine, and Europe. We need solidarity in the face of common threats, and solidarity is built on the foundation of truth, memory, and hope,” concluded Donald Tusk.
Every year on July 11, Poland commemorates the victims of the Volhynia tragedy at the state level. This year marks the 83rd anniversary of those events. The issues of historical memory and the conduct of exhumations have remained among the most important topics in relations between Ukraine and Poland in recent years. Donald Tusk made this statement on July 11, the 83rd anniversary of the Volhynia tragedy, in a video address to the Polish people that was published on the social media platform X.
Every year on July 11, Poland observes the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Tragedy. On this day, the country honors the memory of Polish civilians who died during the tragic events in Volhynia and other regions of the former Second Polish Republic during World War II.
