During the anniversary ceremonies, the fundamental contribution of General Anders’ Polish soldiers to the liberation of the city from German occupation was recalled. The mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, paid tribute to them during the wreath-laying ceremony at the commemorative plaque in Piazza Nettuno.
Greeting the representatives of Polish diplomacy and the Polish community,
Lepore recalled that it was the Poles who were the first to cross the city gate.
Consul Paweł Krupka from Milan spoke in Piazza Nettuno about the
heroism of Polish soldiers, their love of freedom and the spirit of sacrifice, which they also proved at Monte Cassino.
The Polish community was thanked for cultivating historical memory.
Then, the Polish and Italian delegations including the mayor of Bologna
laid a wreath at Porta Maggiore in front of the plaque commemorating the entry of Polish soldiers into the city.
At noon, a mass at the Polish War Cemetery,
where over 1,400 soldiers are buried, was celebrated by the rector of the Polish Catholic Mission in Bologna, Father Tomasz Frączek.
A wreath was also laid at the nearby Commonwealth Cemetery.
The anniversary celebrations were attended by students of the Polish school from Bologna and honorary consuls of Poland: Pasquale Laurenzano in Bologna and Ulrico Leiss De Leimburg in Turin.
Poles living in Bologna, Ravenna, Faenza, Forlì and Reggio Emilia were present.
Marek Konopko from Parma told the Polish Press Agency (PAP):
“My uncle Feliks Dzieńkowski liberated Bologna. He followed the combat trail and after the war he ended up in London. That’s why I’m here.”
