An extraordinary exhibition was opened today at the Courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The exhibition entitled „Pokolenia wolności” or „Generations of freedom” was unveiled by the Institute of National Remembrance.
“Generations of Freedom” is an exhibition organized by the Institute of National Remembrance to honour the memory of five Polish families: the Gwoździewicz, Kulesza, Lazarowicz, Magierski and Majdzik families who fought for the freedom of Poland in various periods of our history.
Jarosław Szarek, Chairman ot hte Institute said: “We are commemorating three generations of Polish freedom fighters. The first struggled for an independent Poland, in the Polish Legions, in the Polish-Soviet War. The next fought in World War II, the Home Army, the Polish Underground State and the third generation came during the time of the Solidarity struggle. It was the 80’s. What an incredibly moving exhibition, but it was when these families stood next to these panels, that an even fuller picture of these struggles for a free and independent Poland became apparent”.
Przemysław Lazarowicz, grandson of mjr. Adam Lazarowicz “Klamra”: “Our presence should also testify to the fact that this regained independence is also a challenge for the present generation. It is not that independence is given once and for all. We must all, even the youngest generations, work for the Polish Republic, so that the white eagle can fly freely over us.
According to the representatives of the families of the exhibition’s protagonists, their fathers and grandfathers and great-grandfathers were models of patriotism.
“The first of the heroes of this exhibition here, visible on the left side, is my grandfather, Adam Lazarowicz “Klamra”, commander of the Dębicki District of the Home Army, later an activist of the Freedom and Independence Association, shot on March 1, 1951 in the Rakowiecka prison in Warsaw. His body has not been found until today, he is probably among the remains of exhumed victims buried at the Powazki Military Cemetery. The second person is my father, also an officer of the Dębica Home Army, and later an activist of “Solidarity”, interned during martial law. The last person is my brother who died a year ago, Romek Lazarowicz, an activist of the pre-August 1980 opposition and later an editor of the first underground magazine.
The exhibition will be on display until October 4th in the courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.