At a ceremony in a new museum soon to be opened near Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda said the landmark battle, part of the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921, was a defining moment in national history and one that awakened a deep sense of community.
Duda told those at the ceremony in Sulejówek, about 20 km east of the Polish capital, that more than 90 plaques would be mounted in various sites to commemorate the country's victorious war with Soviet Russia a century ago and celebrate some of its heroes.
A host of cultural, religious and military events are expected to be held in Poland this year to celebrate the landmark battle, which is believed to have saved the nation's newly regained independence after the end of World War I and prevented the Bolshevik revolution from spreading into western Europe.
The 1920 Battle of Warsaw was fought from August 12 to 25 in 1920 as Red Army forces commanded by Mikhail Tukhachevsky approached the Polish capital. Polish forces led by Marshal Józef Piłsudski counterattacked, forcing the Soviets to withdraw.
The battle, often described as the “Miracle of the Vistula,” has been listed among the most important battles that have decided the fate of the world.
As it marks the centenary of the Battle of Warsaw, Poland will in August open a new museum documenting Piłsudski’s life and political activities, Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Piotr Gliński announced on Wednesday.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP, TVP Info