The Polish War Cemetery on Monte Cassino is the resting place of the soldiers of the Polish Second Corps who gave their lives during the battle for the hill in 1944. It is one of the four Polish war cemeteries in Italy and at the same time one of the most important national memorials, symbolising the sacrifice of Poles fighting for the freedom of their homeland and Europe.
The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome, consisted of four separate clashes fought between Allied and German forces in 1944. It was one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles of the Second World War, aiming to break the German defensive line known as the Gustav Line, which blocked the Allies’ route to Rome.
The ruined town of Cassino and the hilltop monastery, 1944. photo: media.iwm.org.uk
Monte Cassino, with its priceless Benedictine monastery on top, was a strategic point of German resistance. The monastery, founded in the sixth century by St Benedict, was not originally occupied by the Germans, but the Allies suspected that it might have been used by them at a later date. In view of this, the monastery was bombed by Allied aircraft on 15 February 1944, leading to its almost complete destruction. The ruins of the monastery were then occupied by German paratroopers, making the capture of the hill even more difficult.
The Benedictine monastery in 1944 and today. Photo NAC 24-447-13 and Ludmila Pilecka, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In May 1944, the Polish II Corps under General Wladyslaw Anders was given the task of capturing Monte Cassino. For the Poles, it was a chance to highlight their contribution to the fight against the Germans and a response to Soviet propaganda, which accused the Polish soldiers of a lack of commitment.
The Polish attack began on the night of 11-12 May. After fierce fighting, a patrol of the 12th Podolski Lancers Regiment planted the white and red flag on the ruins of the monastery at 10:00 a.m. on 18 May, and the Marian bugle was played at noon. In the battle, 923 Polish soldiers were killed, 345 were declared missing and nearly 3,000 were wounded. Thanks to their sacrifice, the road to Rome was opened and the city was captured by the Allies on 4 June 1944. The town of Cassino, located at the foot of the mountain, was also destroyed during the fierce fighting. After the end of the war, its painstaking reconstruction began.
The decision to create the cemetery was made by General Wladyslaw Anders on 18 May 1944, while the fighting was still going on. The necropolis was created between 1944 and 1945 in the so-called Valley of Death, between one of the nearby hills and the ruins of a monastery. The design of the cemetery was prepared by architects Wacław Hryniewicz and Jerzy Skolimowski, and construction was supervised by engineer Roman Wajda.
The cemetery was solemnly opened on 1 September 1945 in the presence of representatives of the Polish government-in-exile and the Allied Command. Polish soldiers, representing various religions, including Catholics, Orthodox, Jews and Muslims, were laid to rest there.
The dedication ceremony of the Polish War Cemetery on Monte Cassino on 1 September 1945. The banner post of the 4th ‘Scorpion’ Armoured Regiment and the same place today. Photo NAC 24-578-6 and Piotrass007, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The cemetery is located on a flat area surrounded by hills that were the arena of battles. It consists of a wide square formed by an arched space paved with travertine – the same material used to build the Colosseum. At the entrance stand two monumental sculptures of eagles, made in travertine by Professor Cambelotti. The centrepiece of the 1,400sq m plateau is a 16-metre high Virtuti Militari cross with an ever-burning candle. The whole is surrounded by an amphitheatre-like structure made up of nine terraces of limestone boulders. On each terrace are graves arranged in a double row, each marked by a cross of cream-coloured travertine and a slab with a deeply engraved inscription.
The terraces are accessed by a monumental 47-metre-wide white staircase that begins at the foot of the Virtuti Militari cross. On the top terrace there is a stone altar and the emblems of the military units are engraved on the retaining wall. Higher up, on the slope rising towards Hill 593, stretches a hedge cross – its arm is 50 metres long, and in the centre is a 6 by 7 metre bas-relief of the Polish emblem, made of stone from Monte Cassino. In the middle of the foundation, the tomb of General Władysław Anders is placed, in accordance with his last will.
The necropolis is decorated with the inscriptions: “Passerby, tell Poland that we have fallen faithful in her service” and “For our freedom and yours, we Polish soldiers gave our spirit to God, our body to the Italian land, and our hearts to Poland”. The cemetery also contains memorials to the fallen from the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division and the 5th Border Infantry Division.
After the war, the Benedictine monastery was rebuilt in its original form. The work took several years, and works of art and manuscripts saved from destruction were returned to their place. Today, the monastery on Monte Cassino is a symbol of reconciliation and peace.
The Monte Cassino cemetery remains an important site for Polish pilgrimages and anniversary celebrations. Every year, on 18 May, ceremonies commemorating the Polish victory are held here. After Poland regained its independence, the necropolis became one of the main national memorials. Regular maintenance work, carried out by Polish institutions, keeps the site in excellent condition and ensures that the necropolis will continue to bear witness to the heroism of the soldiers of the Second Corps for a long time to come.
According to records, 1,048 soldiers have been buried in the cemetery to date, most of whom died during two key days of fighting: 12 May (334 dead) and 17 May (254 dead). Most of the casualties were infantry soldiers, but artillerymen, sappers and tank drivers were also laid to rest here. There are also cemeteries of other nationalities participating in the battle in the area of the hill, including a British cemetery (5,000 soldiers) and a German cemetery (approximately 20,000 soldiers).
Monte Cassino and the Polish war cemetery remain an enduring symbol of the sacrifice the Poles made on the altar of freedom. This place is a reminder of their heroism, determination and fidelity to their ideals.
Source: polska-zbrojna.pl, liberationroute.com
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