17 September 1939 – We Remember
Commemorations are taking place today (17 September) in Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Włocławek and Inowrocław to honour the victims of the Soviet aggression against Poland in September 1939 and Polish citizens deported by the invaders to forced labour camps in Russian Siberia. The regional government is represented by Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski and members of the Region’s Board Dariusz Kurzawa and Marek Wojtkowski.
– It is our duty to preserve the memory of those who suffered simply because they were Polish. Therefore, on the 87th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s aggression against Poland, we pay tribute to all the victims of those events. We honour those who were deported, imprisoned, persecuted and murdered. In a special way, we bow our heads before the Sybiraks, whose fate remains one of the most painful and moving chapters in 20th-century Polish history. For the residents of our voivodeship, the memory of those events has a particular significance. After the war, many survivors of the deportations found a new home here in Kujawy and Pomorze. They brought to our local communities not only their own experiences and traditions, but also a testimony to patriotism, courage and devotion to freedom. Today, their history is part of the history of our region – said Deputy Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski during the commemorations in Bydgoszcz.
In Bydgoszcz, Sybirak and patriotic communities are gathering for a Mass at the cathedral and a ceremony in the Old Market Square. In Inowrocław, the programme includes a solemn Mass and a gathering at the Memorial Oak. In Włocławek, the commemorations are being held at the Monument to the Soldiers of the Home Army. Residents of Toruń are marking Sybirak Day in Barbarka, where sports and defence competitions have been taking place since the morning, followed by a gathering around a bonfire bringing together Sybirak and senior communities as well as students from uniformed classes at Toruń schools.
Sybirak Day, established to commemorate Polish citizens deported by the occupiers to forced labour camps in Russian Siberia, is observed on the anniversary of the Soviet aggression against Poland in 1939. Historians estimate that after Russian troops entered the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic, more than one million Poles were deported to Siberia (Russian: Sibir’) as part of the repressions. Many did not survive the journey in inhumane conditions, and many never returned from exile.
Press Office of the Marshal’s Office
17 September 2026
