“The cult of the Cursed Soldiers should begin to be phased out, because it mixes true heroes with war criminals,” said presidential candidate Magdalena Biejat. She announced a draft law on compensation for… the families of the alleged victims of the Cursed Soldiers. This is yet another gesture toward this particular milieu, following the reinstatement of sizable pensions for former officers of the communist security service.
“Extinguish the cult”
During a Saturday press conference, the Left’s candidate for President of the Republic of Poland declared that the cult of the Cursed Soldiers should be “phased out.” According to Biejat, the National Day of Remembrance of the Cursed Soldiers is “part of a cult that mixes heroes such as Captain Witold Pilecki with—let’s not be afraid of the word—war criminals, people like ‘Bury’ and ‘Ogień,’ who were responsible for crimes against Poland’s inhabitants, including the murder and persecution of civilians.”
The smear campaign against Romuald Rajs “Bury” began during his wartime activity, carried out by officers of the communist Security Office. It has lingered in the public consciousness ever since. “Communist propagandists singled out ‘Bury’ as an example of a bandit,” explained historian Michał Ostapiuk several years ago on Telewizja Republika, noting that “the anti-myths that have grown around ‘Bury’ are simply not true.” Now, the same propaganda is being promoted by left-wing politicians who are heirs to that tradition, including Joanna Senyszyn and—more recently—Magdalena Biejat.
Money for “victims of the Cursed Soldiers”
Biejat contrasted the Day of Remembrance of the Cursed Soldiers with the newly introduced Day of the Home Army, celebrated for the first time on February 14, 2025. “That is the holiday and the formation whose heroes we should be honoring,” she argued. “They stood for a democratic Republic—one that was independent, open, and respectful of all its citizens.”
She emphasized that in order to close this chapter, Poland must not forget the descendants of victims who are still waiting for compensation and justice. “As the Left, we will submit a draft law at the next Sejm session to provide compensation and damages for the families of victims of the Cursed Soldiers,” Biejat declared. She added that “the fact that criminals are glorified and that victims never received justice remains an open wound for those living in the Podlasie region, who are descendants of those who fell victim to these crimes.”
The bill proposed by the Left would provide financial compensation of 50,000 złotys to each member of families of victims of “crimes committed by the Cursed Soldiers” (including those who were subject to underground “verdicts” for treason).
“It’s time the Polish state finally gave them justice and made it clear their suffering is recognized and their sacrifice is respected,” Biejat concluded. “Democratic Poland must once and for all stop glorifying criminals.”