Polish War Cemetery, photo BUDMEX, 2021
License: all rights reserved
Photo showing Polish War Cemetery
Polish War Cemetery, photo BUDMEX, 2021
License: all rights reserved
Photo showing Polish War Cemetery
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ID: WOJ-000126-W/73626 (KZ-0005)

Polish War Cemetery

ID: WOJ-000126-W/73626 (KZ-0005)

Polish War Cemetery

In January/February 1942, the redeployment of the Polish Armed Forces in the USSR (General Anders' Army) from the Soviet Russian republics to the Central Asian republics took place. Units of the 8th Infantry Division were located in Shokpak (formerly Chokpak). The servicemen and civilians who died here from exhaustion and disease, and who arrived at the places where the Polish units were being formed following the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the so-called "amnesty for Polish citizens", announced on 12.08.1941, were buried in the military cemetery created in the town cemetery, next to the railway line, outside the built-up area. Clear earth mounds, about 15 in number, remain of the graves, and trees have grown over some of them. Originally there was a large wooden cross among these graves, which was destroyed in the 1980s. In 1998, a new wooden cross was erected, the same as in the Lugovaya Station cemetery. It was solemnly consecrated on 1.11.1998 by Fr. Peter Ostafin, pastor of the Roman Catholic parish of Taraz.In 2001. In 2001 the Council for the Protection of Remembrance of Struggle and Martyrdom reconstructed the cemetery - it was fenced with a low stone wall and plaques with 212 names of buried soldiers were placed on the fence. On the three symbolic rows of graves tombstones with the relief of the cross were placed, spaced according to the layout of the earth mounds that had survived until then. The existing cross was moved to a new place, at the entrance to the cemetery.A monument was erected in the form of a milepost with an image of the Polish Army eagle, bearing the inscription in Kazakh and Polish: "HERE REST / POLACKS / 256 SOLDIERS / OF THE POLISH ARMY / IN THE EAST GEN. WŁ. ANDERS / AND CIVILIANS / FORMER PRISONERS / OF THE SOVIET GULAGS / WHO DIED IN 1942. / ON THE WAY TO THE LAND / honour their memory".On the fence posts at the entrance are information plates in two languages - Polish and Kazakh. Polish text: "POLISH / WAR CEMETERY / SZOKPAK / FOUNDED BY / THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND / BY THE EFFORT OF THE COUNCIL / FOR THE PROTECTION OF MEMORIES / OF WARS AND MURDER / THAT ALSO CARES FOR IT".Surrounding the cemetery are the remains of the city cemetery overgrown with bushes.After the liquidation of the OPWiM Council, the care of the cemetery is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The Ministry of Culture is also conducting research work to establish a census of civilians buried in cemeteries in Central Asia.

Publikacja:

01.08.2022
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Polish War Cemetery Photo showing Polish War Cemetery Gallery of the object +1
Polish War Cemetery, photo BUDMEX, 2021
Polish War Cemetery Photo showing Polish War Cemetery Gallery of the object +1
Polish War Cemetery, photo BUDMEX, 2021

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