The official celebrations were co-organised by the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression and attended by veterans of the Polish II Corps of General Władysław Anders’s Army as well as by Anna Maria Anders, General Anders’ daughter and the Polish ambassador to Italy.

The Battle of Monte Cassino is one of the best-known armed clashes during World War II in which Polish soldiers played a major role. More than 1,000 soldiers of the Polish II Corps fell during the battle. Despite the passage of time, they remain in the memory of many generations of Poles, including those living abroad. The name of the commander of the Polish II Corps, General Władysław Anders, also went down in history. After he died in 1970, General Anders was buried amongst his soldiers at the Polish War Cemetery at Monte Cassino.

The 78th anniversary of the battle has been a highlight of the year 2022, celebrated as the Year of Three Generals and marking the 130th anniversary of the birth of Władysław Anders, Stanisław Sosabowski, and Stanisław Maczek. The three generals were outstanding commanders of the Polish Armed Forces in the West whose victorious trail during World War II made a permanent mark in the history of Poland. The celebrations commemorating the victorious Battle of Monte Cassino were also an occasion to pay tribute to all Polish soldiers who gave their lives on all fronts of World War II.

Łukasz Jasina

MFA Press Spokesperson