The exhibition “Struggle and suffering. Polish citizens during the World War II” prepared by the World War II Museum in Gdańsk will open on September 1 at 15:00 in the Museum of History of the City of Kyiv (Khmelnytskoho st., 7).

Authors: Karol Nawrocki, Grzegorz Berendt, Tomasz Szturo, Marek Szymaniak, Wojciech Łukaszun, Adam Żymła, Bartłomiej Garba. Design concept: Tengent.

The exhibition will be open from September 1 to 17 on the fourth floor of the museum. Admission is free.

“The World War II began at dawn of September 1, 1939 with the attack of the Third Reich on Poland. At first it affected Europe and then extended to engulf the whole world, causing the worst disaster in the history of humankind.

A week before the beginning of the war, on August 23, 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the treaty that became known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. It included a secret protocol – which violated the international law – about the division of zones of influence in Central and East Europe.  On September 17, 1939 the eastern part of Poland was occupied by the Red Army. The alliance between Hitler and Stalin lasted until June 22, 1941, when the Third Reich attacked the USSR.

The cataclysm of the most terrible of wars continued for almost 6 years and took lives of several dozens of millions of innocent victims.

In this exhibition you will see evidences of the Polish struggle against totalitarianisms, an exceptional love for freedom, heroic rescues of others, heroic deeds of soldiers and civilians, heroism of weapons and fight for freedom of other countries – all this is worth to be remembered.  

The memory about this tragedy unites generations and expresses respect to the sacrifice of our ancestors.

Poland – this is where it all began.”

Dr. Karol Nawrocki,

Director of the World War II Museum in Gdańsk