A striking, 44-foot-tall golden-hued monument stands in Baltimore,
Maryland, as a tribute to one of the many horrors of World War II — the
Katyn Massacre.
The slaughter, initially blamed on the Germans, was actually perpetrated
and carried out by the Soviet NKVD. The secret police shot and buried
more than 4,000 Polish service personnel — most of whom were army
reservists called to active service following the Nazi invasion of
Poland.
The origins of the National Katyn Memorial began with Major
Clement Knefel, who learned of the massacre when he was stationed in
Germany during the Nuremberg trials. When he returned to the United
States, he began raising funds for a monument to honor the victims of
this tragedy. Annual remembrance ceremonies are conducted each April.
The memorial — adorned with Polish historical and military figures —
sits at the intersection of President and Aliceanna streets.
For more information, visit http://www.katynbaltimore.com/.
