Following Germany’s invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and the Soviet Union’s attack on 17 September 1939, thousands of Poles, both civilians and soldiers, crossed the Hungarian border. Despite the difficult international situation and Hungary’s membership of the Axis powers, the Hungarians showed great goodwill and provided assistance to Polish refugees. The Poles were looked after – both by the Hungarian state and by Polish organisations operating in Hungary. Those interned were housed in numerous military and civilian camps.

The number of Polish internees during the initial period of their exile is estimated at around 140,000, including approximately 33,000 enlisted men and officers. Over time, the number of refugees, primarily military personnel, decreased as a result of an evacuation operation organised by the Poles to France and the Middle East, to join the Polish military units being formed there.

In the municipal cemetery on Soproni utca, in sector F by the main avenue, there is a shared grave of two Polish soldiers interned in Hungary, who died tragically on 2 November 1939: Private Ignacy Mirecki and Private Wincenty Romanowski. The gravestone consists of a horizontal slab and a vertical slab, topped with a metal cross.

On the vertical slab, symmetrically on both sides, are inscriptions containing the details of the deceased: “HERE / LIES A POLISH SOLDIER / PRIVATE / MIRECKI / IGNACY / AGED 37 / DIED A TRAGIC DEATH / ON 2 NOVEMBER 1939” and “HERE / LIES A POLISH SOLDIER / PR. ROMANOWSKI / WINCENTY / AGED 25 / WHO DIED A TRAGIC DEATH / ON 2 NOVEMBER 1939”. On the horizontal slab, made of terrazzo, there is a bas-relief of a crowned eagle.