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Poland It was often called to memory that Poland had fought on many fronts as a partner of the victorious Allies (anti-Hitler coalition) - in Africa (Tobruk), Italy (Monte Cassino), the Soviet Union, in the "Battle of Britain" and not least of all during the conquest of Germany. |
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The 9th of May as the "Day of Victory" was the most important holiday in the People's Republic of Poland. The central element of the symbolism of victory was the Polish flag flattering over the ruins of Berlin. On a poster commemorating the 40 th anniversary of the German invasion, photographs under the headline "9.V.1945" showed a montage of cheering soldiers on tanks and soldiers of the Red Army conversing with Polish soldiers beneath the Berlin Victory Column. The emphasis on the Soviet-Polish victory over Fascist Germany served to alleviate the feeling of defeat. |
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The manner in which the battles of World War II were interwoven with older national myths in the official culture of remembrance in the People's Republic can be seen in this poster as well. It shows a stele with a broken sword in the form of a cross. This recalls the victory of the Polish-Lithuanian army in 1410 against the Knights of the German Order in Grunwald (Tannenberg). The poster evokes the memory of a number of Polish victories over the Germans and thus creates a connection between the battle in Grunwald in the 15 th century and the victory over Berlin in the 20 th century. |
The Victors / France
