FOUNDATION MEMORY, EDUCATION, CULTURE in network “League of Prisoners-of-War Remembrance”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

we would like to inform all those interested in the fate of the POWs, soldiers of the Second World War, that under the aegis of the Central Museum of POW Camps, based in Lambinowice, the “POW Memorial League” Network has been established.

It consists of six entities, organisations that keep the memory of former POW camps in the territory of Poland. I have the honour to announce that the former prisoner of war camp Stalag VIIIA is also included in this group. The camp during the war was located in the former Görlitz-Ost, now in Zgorzelec. The memory of this place is kept by the Foundation Memory, Education, Culture and its partner organisation Meetingpoint Memory Messiaen e.V. based in Zgorzelec and Görlitz.

Stalag VIII A is a very important and interesting site for researchers. The remains of the camp’s infrastructure have been preserved on the site of the former camp, allowing visitors to get a closer look at the conditions of life behind the wire, while numerous artefacts are testimony to the life in captivity of soldiers fighting against the Third Reich.

The Foundation places great hope in the cooperation with other Memorial Places in various parts of Poland. It becomes more and more important because the memory of prisoners of war, soldiers of several nationalities of armies fighting against the Germans, has been somewhat suppressed by other tragic events of the Second World War.

The current war, which is taking place in Ukraine, in close proximity to Poland, reminds us once again of the tragic fate of soldiers fighting against the aggressor in defence of their country.

On behalf of the Foundation, I would like to thank the Director of the Central Museum, Dr Violetta Wasielewska-Rezler, for this important initiative. For our part, I assure all participants in the Network of our great interest in future cooperation.