On June 14, 2024, at the Treblinka Museum, the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of German Nazi Concentration Camps and Extermination Camps was solemnly celebrated. The National Day of Remembrance for Victims of German Concentration Camps and Extermination Camps was established by a resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on June 8, 2006. The celebration of this holiday is set for June 14. On this day, in 1940, the first transport of Polish political prisoners arrived at the Auschwitz concentration camp. This first group of prisoners came from Tarnów, among the 728 individuals were soldiers of the Polish Army, members of independence organizations, scouts, students, and a small group of Polish Jews. This day is considered the beginning of the operation of Auschwitz concentration camp. The ceremonies began at 10:00 AM with a presentation of a song by the late Witold Radomski, who provided musical accompaniment for the celebrations every year. Then, the guests were welcomed by the Director of the Treblinka Museum, Edward Kopówka. In his speech, he reminded us:
“Behind every victim lies suffering that should never have taken place. Despite continuous calls for ‘Never again,’ many people still experience acts of war. On this special day, we want to pay tribute to all those murdered during World War II. In our institution, we cherish their memory and remind visitors, especially young people, of the importance of tolerance towards others.”
Following this, speeches were given by Iwona Kublik, Mayor of Sokołów Podlaski, and Elżbieta Żero, a descendant of the Righteous Among the Nations.
On this day, the medal “Meritorious for the Treblinka Museum”, honoring exceptional contributions to the Treblinka Museum – the German Nazi extermination and labour camp (1941-1944), was awarded to Krzysztof Bukowski, a prosecutor of the Institute of National Remembrance, who conducts investigations and research on the camps in Treblinka.
The Director of the Treblinka Museum was honored with the “Star of Independence” badge, awarded by the Main Board of the Association of Combatants of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners. This jubilee badge is awarded to individuals who participated in the liberation of Poland from German occupation, as well as to individuals and entities that have significantly contributed to promoting and preserving the traditions of the liberation struggles.
The artistic part began with the story of Holocaust survivor Sara Mężyńska. Between 1942 and 1943, the Miłkowski family from Drohiczyn: Adolf, Bronisława, Maria, Władysław, Lucjan, Helena, Danuta, Leontyna, Aniela, and Jadwiga, hid Sara in their home until liberation. They named her Zosia and cared for her equally with their own children. After the war, despite Bronisława’s protests, Zosia was taken from the family by Jewish individuals and transported to Israel. The story of the Jewish girl saved in Drohiczyn was presented by Milena and Zbigniew Kosiński.
During the ceremony, the history of Drohiczyn was also presented by Robert Krakowiak.
Then, the attendees proceeded to the Extermination Camp Memorial area, where a symbolic unveiling of a stone inscribed “Drohiczyn” took place. This was done by the Director of the Treblinka Museum, representatives of the authorities from Drohiczyn, representatives of the Holocaust survivor Sara Mężyńska’s family, and descendants of the Righteous Among the Nations.
The event was attended by:
- Col. Czesław Lewandowski – President of the Main Board of the Association of Combatants of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners
- Elżbieta Sadzyńska – Secretary General of the Main Board of the Association of Combatants of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners
- Józef Maliński – Treasurer of the Main Board of the Association of Combatants of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners
- Zbigniew Gołąbek – Vice President of the Main Board of the Association of Combatants of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners
- Zbigniew Czaplicki – Representative of the Marshal for Combatants Affairs –
- Bina, Michael, Raye, and Neriya Yabkovitch – Descendants of Holocaust survivor Sara Mężyńska
- Maria Aleksandra Kuriata, Adam Dudziński, Elżbieta Żero, Anna Łowczyk, Andrzej Żero – Descendants of the Righteous Among the Nations
- Alicja Cichoń – Head of the Delegation of the Masovian Voivodeship Office in Siedlce
- Bartłomiej Pieńkowski – Deputy Starost of Ostrów Mazowiecka region
- Iwona Kublik – Mayor of Sokołów Podlaski
- Marek Renik – Deputy Starost of Węgrów region
- Łukasz Karpiel – Deputy Wójt of Małkinia Górna Commune
- Urszula Cichocka – Councilor of Drohiczyn City Council
- Katarzyna Jakubaszek – Deputy Head of the Civil Registry Office from the Ceranów Commune Office
- Rev. Canon Wiesław Niemyjski – Parish Priest of the Holy Trinity Parish in Drohiczyn
- Rev. Krzysztof Nagórny – Vicar of the Holy Trinity and St. Anne Parish in Prostyń
- Agnieszka Gaś – Director of the Stanisław Staszic School Complex in Małkinia Górna along with Wojciech Hadała and youth
- Krzysztof Bukowski – Prosecutor of the Institute of National Remembrance Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, Szczecin Branch, Koszalin Delegation
- Prof. Zofia Chyra-Rolicz, member of the Museum Council at the Treblinka Museum
- Dr. Katarzyna Person – Deputy Director for Scientific and Exhibition Affairs of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum
- Dr. Grzegorz Wodziński and Karolina Paćko – Pawiak Prison Museum
- Małgorzata Iwańska-Kania – Director of the Sokołów Podlaski Public Library
- Ewa Siwek – Director of the Małkinia Górna Culture and Sports Center
- Karolina Kolbuszewska – Director of the Museum – The Pilecki Family House in Ostrów Mazowiecka
- Andrzej Jankowski – Forgotten Foundation
- Dr. hab. Tomasz Nowak, Professor of the University of Siedlce
- Marek Fiuk – Creator of the medal “Meritorious for the Treblinka Museum”
- Milena, Zbigniew, Róża, Marek Kosiński, Robert Maciej Krakowiak, Roman Kuriata, Karol Koc, Marek Żero, Jerzy Jaskólski, Joanna Krzyżewska, Piotr Sitkiewicz, Irena Chlebińska, Urszula Chlebińska, Katarzyna Marczak, Maja Mateńka, Ewa Brochocka-Trela, Grażyna Dudzińska, Iwona Żero
- Senior+ Club from Małkinia Górna
- Representatives of the press: Hanna Chromińska – Tygodnik Ostrołęcki, Marek Krasowski – Drohiczyn.info
The ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths at the monuments in the Extermination Camp Memorial Site and the former Execution Site.
We sincerely thank all those present for their attendance.