At about 9:30 this morning all the phones in our house started to ring - friends and family calling to ask if we'd seen the news. BBC News was on in the background and I heard "plane crash... Polish President....presumed dead." I called to my husband to switch on TVN24, but he already had. It now appears (10:50 am) that Poland's worst fears are confirmed, all passengers have been killed including President Kaczynski, his wife, many Parliament Ministers and Bishops - perhaps as many as 87 in total.
The plane was heading for Smolensk, about 20 km from Katyn where the Polish delegation was heading. Katyn or Katyn Forrest was the place where almost 22,000 Polish Officers were murdered in 1940 under the orders of the Soviet Regime and Joseph Stalin. Todays visit was intended to commemorate those killed in Katyn as we approach the 70th anniversary.
The news today has left the country in shock. We still don't have the facts and nothing is official at this time, but this is a national tragedy and Katyn will once again be a reminder to Poles of a day of sadness.
About Me
- Stefcia
- I'm married to a Pole, have lived in the Tri-City for 15 years. I am a graduate of American Studies from Hull University and I can proudly say I have managed to learn to speak Polish.
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