Avenue of National Remembrance is growing

In Zalavas, at the birthplace of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the next three oaks were planted. In May 2010, as part of the reconstruction of Marshall Memorial Park was launched avenue of National Remembrance. It commemorates the distinguished countrymen – the residents of Vilnius and has to remind important historical events.

Avenue of National Remembrance in Zalavas enriched with three new oaks at the Feast of the Polish Army (August 15th). One commemorates the heroic deed of commanders and soldiers of the Battle of Warsaw 1920, the second – exiled to Siberia and the third – 100 anniversary of the Polish Scouting in Lithuania.

Earlier oaks were planted to commemorate the victims of the Katyń massacre, President Lech Kaczyński, the defenders of Westerplatte, the participants of the Warsaw Uprising and the Battle of Monte Cassino, Pope John Paul II, commander of Vilnius district Army general Aleksander Krzyżanowski, Marshal of the Senate and the president of the Polish Community Andrzej Stelmachowski.

The tradition of planting oaks in Zalavas started before the war President Ignacy Mościcki and Marshal’s wife Aleksandra Piłsudska. The oak which they seated on 10 October 1937 has survived to this day. In Soviet times next to the oak was erected big group of rural buildings – farm, barns, administration offices, the silage pits. However, after 1991 the Union of Poles in Lithuania decided, as a matter of honor, to commemorate the birthplace of Pilsudski. The organization purchased a land on which stood the mansion of Piłsudski’s family and they began work under the reconstruction of monumental composition prepared by the architect Romuald Gutt in 1937.

In this monumental composition is forming Avenue of National Remembrance. It is assumed that in the future it will be about 300 meters long. In total, it is planned to plant approximately 100 trees at which will be placed tables with descriptions.

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/rosnie-aleja-pamieci-narodowej 

Tłumaczenie Daria Bergmann  w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Daria Bergmann within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.