Poland holds nationwide WWII remembrance events in June and July

Poland WWII remembrance June 14 Auschwitz ceremony first Polish transport to Auschwitz Gruszka execution anniversary Wykus partisan memorial

June 14 is observed in Poland as the National Day of Remembrance for the victims of German Nazi concentration and extermination camps. The ceremony, attended by Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska, takes place at the Auschwitz I "Death Wall" and includes former prisoners and officials. The date marks the 86th anniversary of the first transport of 728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów to Auschwitz in 1940, of which 325 survived. The Christian Association of Auschwitz Families has urged authorities to rename the day to explicitly honour Polish victims, arguing that the current designation does not highlight their suffering.

Local commemorations across the country accompany the national observance. In Sanok, a ceremony on 4 July 2026 will mark the 86th anniversary of the execution of 112 prison inmates on Gruszka mountain, with services in the town cemetery and at the execution site. In the Świętokrzyskie region, the annual "Wykus" events from 12–14 June honour partisan leaders Jan Piwnik “Ponury” and Eugeniusz Kaszyński “Nurt”. Activities include a mural unveiling, concerts of patriotic songs, the awarding of police honours, and a field mass at the historic Wykus clearing.