Minister, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of the Australian – Polish Historical Society it is my privilege to present to you the exhibition entitled “Poland’s Way to Freedom”.

Fifty years of Poland’s constant fight against foreign oppression and communist regime is presented on 50 boards. The history of Poland is explored through a display of 800 fascinating historic images and 500 original photographs, documents, publications, badges, prisoners’ letters and other precious memorabilia.

In 12 display cabinets are presented various artefacts such as medals, photos, letters of those who were murdered by Soviets in Ostaszkowo and Katyn in 1940, who were displaced after World War II and Solidarity activists who settled in Australia.

One item on display that is of special significance to me is my prison shirt on which I secretly stencilled the Polish eagle with bits of plastic which I stole from the prison bathroom.

After the severe political oppression I suffered at the hand of the Polish secret police I decided to leave Poland in 1987.

I left my home and family with great fear and hope.

I took two things, which were and still are very important to me:

My three-year old, at the time, daughter Joanna and the shirt I wore while I was in prison.

Please look upon the items in this exhibition as parts of our history and as extraordinary moments in otherwise lives of ordinary people.

25 years ago Solidarity mobilised a nation to achieve unimaginable things and touched everyone that was involved very deeply.

Enjoy the exhibition and refer to either the brochure, or any of the exhibition displays if you have any questions.

I would like to dedicate this exhibition to:

All the people who gave their lives for a free and independent Poland,
The soldiers fighting on all the battlefields of the World War II,

The ten million Poles who courageously opposed the communism regime in August 1980,

I would like to acknowledge and thank the Australian Government, for welcoming a vast number of the Polish refugees seeking a new, safe and humane way of life, and for providing them with moral as well financial support.

I would like to recognise all of those who helped make this exhibition possible, giving support and time in particular Ryszard Konikowski, Monika Wiench, Elizabeth Drozd, and my daughter Joanna Szczepanska.

Thank you all.

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