The multinational delegation of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) headed by the Corps Commander Lieutenant General Rainer Korff took part in the March of Remembrance held in Szczecin on 13 April 2010.
The municipal celebrations started at the Regional Council where victims of the recent plane crash near Smoleńsk, Russia, were commemorated. All present guests, including the MNC NE Commander Lieutenant General Korff, paid a tribute to the tragically killed President of the Republic of Poland Mr Lech Kaczyński, his wife, prominent politicians, generals and other elite members of the society.
Afterwards, the official opening of the “Katyń Crime” exhibition in front of Szczecin’s City Hall took place. In the presence of the local authorities, families of those who lost their families in Katyń, pupils, students, scouts, Szczecin inhabitants, the uniformed services and the MNC NE delegation, representatives of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance opened the exhibition and described its main message. It was not only about remembrance but also about drawing conclusions from history to prevent such tragic events from happening in future. In 1940, in the area of Katyń, about 20,000 Polish prisoners of war were murdered by Soviets.
Also the recent tragic events in Smoleńsk were commemorated with a minute of silence.
Subsequently, all the gathered people marched along Szczecin’s streets to the Square of Katyń Crime, where a special monument is placed. After a common prayer, wreaths were laid at the monument.
