On Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Warsaw Citadel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and the Mayor of Chełm, Jakub Banaszek, signed a letter of intent regarding the establishment of the Museum of the Victims of the Volhynia Massacre. The ceremony was attended by Stanisław Wziątek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence.
Photos: Krzysztof Niedziela/Ministry Of National Defence
“Today, thanks to a joint initiative of the City of Chełm and the Ministry of National Defense, we are implementing this project as part of the Polish Army Museum. The museum is intended not only to commemorate, but also to educate and serve as a warning so that such tragedies never happen again. We have been working toward the creation of this museum for several years. The previous concept was not implemented, so we sought an effective solution. The result is the decision to establish the institution as a branch of the Polish Army Museum. We are already carrying out similar initiatives, such as the Museum of the Battle of Warsaw and the Museum of the Battle of Racławice. This is part of our policy of remembrance,” said Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at the Polish Army Museum.
The new institution will be established in Chełm as a branch of the Polish Army Museum. The initiative is the result of cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense and the local government of Chełm. The nationwide institution is intended to become a modern educational and research center, documenting the tragic fate of Poles in the Eastern Borderlands and the efforts of Polish Armed Forces soldiers in defending the civilian population.
“This is an extremely important moment for all those for whom remembrance policy, historical policy, memory, and identity are fundamental – indeed, a matter of the highest importance. Today, we are witnesses and participants in a ceremony that not only marks a new investment, but above all offers, for the first time in Poland’s history, a chance to properly commemorate those who lost their lives in a brutal manner. On Bloody Sunday in Volhynia, as well as in the following days, hundreds of thousands of our compatriots were brutally murdered. During World War II, they fell victim to crimes committed by Ukrainian nationalists. This is the memory of our grandparents, of our ancestors – this is our identity,” emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during the ceremony at the Polish Army Museum.
“By being incorporated into the structure of the Polish Army Museum, the new institution will gain access to unique archival resources as well as substantive support from leading experts. The investment is intended not only to provide a dignified commemoration of the victims, but also to preserve historical truth and integrate veteran communities and victims’ families. A nation without memory loses its identity and perishes. That is why we must remember. We must remember the important moments in the life of the nation, even when they are filled with pain and human tragedy. Out of respect for the Poles who gave their lives in Volhynia. For the sake of historical memory and contemporary remembrance, we must carry out an investment that will give us a sense of truth and justice. And it is precisely for the sake of truth that we want this project to be completed as soon as possible,” emphasized Deputy Minister of National Defense Stanisław Wziątek during the ceremony.
The signing of the letter of intent formally begins the design and organizational process of the new museum.
