Monument in honour of Jan Borysewicz „Krysia” has been unveiled

In Kalveliai, near Dubičiai in Varėnos rajono (region) savivaldybė, the monument of a legendary commander of “Północ” (“North”) Group  in Nowogródzki Region AK por./kpt. Jan Borysewicz “Krysia” was unveiled on Thursday 23^rd January. The monument is located in the place where the soldier died.

The ceremony began in the afternoon in Niepokalane Poczęcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny’s Church in Kalveliai. Anatol Markowski, the parish priest of the Kalveliai parish, reminded that on 21^st January pasted 69 years since the dead of AK commander. While stressing the importance of memory about eminent soldiers, the parish priest quoted Jan Paul II: “Only the nation who can respect their past is worth a good future”.

–          Forgetting the heroes is a destroy of the temple, who is the society. The memory of Jan Borysewicz proves that Polish society do not forget about their past. Our respect to those who sacrificed for their motherland is our credo – Anatol Markowski, the priest, said.

After the mass finished, the participants went to Kalveliai, where the monument in honour of Jan Borysewicz was unveiled. It was placed thanks to efforts of Polish Foundation “Wolność i Demokracja” (“Liberty and Democracy”). The organization was set in 2006, it’s interested in human rights and democracy, the help for victims of political repressions in Belorussia. It also commemorates Polish commanders, who fought in Kresy.

– We commemorate heroes because those people may be examples of genuine patriotism. It’s also important to remember that Poland lost a half of their area during WWII – said, Michał Dworczyk, the chairman of Foundation „Wolność i Demokracja” („Liberty and Democracy”) and expressed his thanks to all people who helped tower the monument of the legendary AK commander.

The monument was financed by Rada Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa (Protection of Memory of Battles and Martyrdom Council). During Thursday ceremony, the guests were greeted by PhD Andrzej Kunert, secretary of ROPWiM, who stressed that the memory of casualty soldiers is significant.

– Those who were killed by either Soviets or Germans, are the symbols of the Polish’s fortune after 1^st Septmeber in 1993. When Soviets started to arrest and take away the commanders of Armia Krajowa in July, 1994, some of them resisted and tried to get out. One of them was “Krysia”. Today, we unveil another physical sign of memory and honour to those who fought for independence – Andrzej Kunert said. – We can make sense of their death, so I would like to thank to all those who help in this work.

We still don’t know where Jan Borysewicz „Krysia” was buried. His symbolic grave is on the cemetery in Eišiškės. Zdzisław Palewicz, the mayor of Šalčininkų region, recalled that the first time when commander “Krysia” has become public was during the funeral in 2008.

–          I would like to stress that it is not only about one hero but about symbols of our ancestors. This personality has three very important virtues: national memory, reaching the truth and gratitude. Everybody is obliged to keep national memory. In Šalčininkų region, we try to keep the memory alive. We want the memory to create not divide – Zdzisław Palewicz said. Mayor stated that the desire for truth is special of all virtues.

–          In the past, our heroes were treated as though they had been criminals. Now, we can say directly about them and try to pursue the truth, however it is not easy. I can promise that I will do my best to explain the mystery about the genuine location of the corpse of Jan Borysewicz – Palewicz said.

Not only were the representatives of „Wolność i Demokracja” (“Liberty and Democracy”) Foundation and of Rada Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa (Protection of Memory of Battles and Martyrdom Council) as well as of council authority present during Thursday ceremony, but also Stanisław Cygnarowski – Counsel-Minister, consul general, the manager of Consular Department in RP embassy in Lithuania, veterans from Lithuania, Poland and Belorussia and the soldiers who fought with the commander “Krysia”, the inhabitants of Kalesninkai and Kalveliai, as well as the students of the nearby schools.

The soldiers from the group of Jan Borysewicz „Krysia” shared with the memories about the commander. They were telling about the respect people felt towards him, battles, in which they fought and the heroic stature of „Krysia”.

The brief biography of „Krysia”

Jan Borysewicz came from Dworczany in Васілішкі Parish in Lidzki district. He received his diploma on teacher training seminar in Ščučyn. He was an officer in Wojsko Polskie (Polish Army). “Krysia” was arrested in 1940 by NKWD, arrested in Баранавічы (Baranowicz) and Brest, from where he ran away on June in 1941 when the prison evacuation took place. Since the summer in 1941, he was a member of underground. Since May in 1944, he was a commander of “Północ” Zgrupowanie (Group), was a participant of “Ostra Brama” (Sharp Gate). Borysewicz assumed “Krysia” and “Mściciel” (Avenger) as his nicknames. He began guerrilla warfare with 7 people and he had 650 well-armed soldiers in his battalion. Several of his active combat against Germans were successful. He died on 21^st January in 1974 near Kalveliai when He ran into an ambush of the contingent 105. Infantry regiment NKWD.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2014/01/24/odslonieto-pomnik-ku-czci-jana-borysewicza-krysi/

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