In this episode of Monte Cassino 80, we meet Marek Mrozek. Across 2 podcasts we will be talking about the historical and social journey of the Polish men and women of the 2nd Corp, Drugi Korpus led by General Anders. We will explore why and how they volunteered to fight and why they were ready for the victory at the Battle for Monte Cassino.

Marek is a volunteer at Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London and the curator of the highly successful exhibition Polish Armed Forces on the Front Lines 1944 Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Frontach Wojny 1944.

In part one Marek Mrozek takes us through the invasion of Poland in September 1939, the fate of the Polish army captured by Soviets, the forced deportation of civilians in the eastern Polish borderlands to Siberia. We discuss how and why young and old volunteered for the Polish Army after the Sikorski Majski Agreement, and the journey of these Polish men and women took to form a resilient and determined fighting force.

Thanks to Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London (PISM) - the largest archival and museum institution in Western Europe that is focused on Polish history, predominantly covering the first half of the 20th century. From its foundation in 1945 until the fall of communism in 1989, the Institute was one of the main exiled institutions where Poland’s true history was presented to the public.

You can explore at https://pism.org.uk/

Or visit at

20 Prince’s Gate

London SW7 1PT

Tue – Fri : 9.30am - 4pm

NOTE from the podcast:

Orlęta - Young Eagles / Eaglets a youth organisation operating in Poland from 1933 part of Strzelec - Riflemen's Association - also active in the underground movement during World War II. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orl%C4%99ta_(organizacja)

Ognisko Polskie’s Monte Cassino 80 podcast is presented by Jola Piesakowska

Supported by the Polish Cultural Institute

Produced by Salt and Pepper Productions in association with #MyLondyn

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