On April 30, 2026, a significant commemorative event took place in the village of Nikolaevka, Krasninsky District of the Smolensk Region. A memorial stele and the Alley of Memory dedicated to Polish soldiers were officially unveiled as part of the international project “Memory Without Borders.”
The initiative was organized by the “Rusich” search team, Polish public figure and historian Olga Dobzhynska-Surzhik, and Yuri Zhuravovich, Chairman of the Mogilev branch of the Union of Poles in Belarus.
The project is rooted in the shared history of World War II, when Soviet and Polish soldiers fought side by side against Nazi Germany, contributing significantly to the liberation of Europe. Their cooperation was especially evident during major operations such as the liberation of Belarus, Warsaw, and the Berlin Offensive.
It was from this very region that the 1st Warsaw Polish Infantry Division named after Tadeusz Kościuszko began its combat path in 1943. Stationed near Nikolaevka, the division soon entered one of its most difficult battles near Lenino (now in Belarus), suffering heavy losses but inflicting serious damage on enemy forces.
Today, mass graves located near Lenino hold the remains of over 500 Polish and more than 1,700 Soviet soldiers who fought in those battles.
The ceremony brought together delegations from Belarus, representatives of Russian and Polish public organizations, and local residents. Official addresses were delivered by international participants, including a message from Member of the European Parliament Grzegorz Braun, emphasizing the importance of preserving historical memory.
A symbolic highlight of the event was the planting of 43 birch trees, representing the year 1943. Each tree is marked with a commemorative plaque.
The memorial stele, unveiled in both Russian and Polish, commemorates the formation and heroic path of the division.
The site is expected to become part of a future historical and tourist route connecting Nikolaevka with Lenino, strengthening international remembrance and dialogue.
We remember.