80 years since the end of the war. Ceremonies at the Veterans' Memorial in Szczecin

On Thursday, May 8, at the Veterans' Memorial Monument at the Central Cemetery in Szczecin, ceremonies were held to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event was attended by veterans, representatives of local and government authorities, clergy, uniformed services, scouts and numerous residents of the city. Officers representing countries that are part of the NATO Northeast Corps were also present.

The ceremony began with speeches. The Mayor of Szczecin, Piotr Krzystek, recalled the heroism of Poles who fought on all fronts of World War II:

– The Polish armed forces fought on all of its fronts – from the first to the last day – he said. – An underground state operated in the occupied country – a phenomenon on a global scale.

Referring to today's realities, Krzystek compared the drama of the war from 80 years ago with the current situation beyond our eastern border:

– Ukraine is not only fighting for its future. It is also fighting for Europe – for an order based on international law. This is a reminder that peace is never given once and for all – he stressed.

The Vice-Governor of West Pomerania, Bartosz Brożyński, noted: – Today, 80 years after the war, we pay tribute to those who fought for freedom, but we also commit to never allowing a similar tragedy to happen again.

After the speeches, an ecumenical prayer was held for those killed and murdered during World War II. A moment later, the roll call of the fallen was heard, ending with a salute fired by the representative company of the 12th Infantry Division.

Then, representatives of the authorities, uniformed services, veterans' organizations, as well as foreign guests laid flowers and wreaths at the Monument to the Memory of Veterans. The whole event was accompanied by the Military Orchestra from Szczecin. ©℗

(dg)