National Katyn Memorial Committee Collection ( NKMC)
The orgins
of the National Katyn Memorial began with Major Clement A. Knefel,
who learned of the massacre in 1940 of Polish Army Officers by the Soviet
Union, when he was stationed in Germany, in 1947, during the Nuremberg
trials
of German Nazi leaders following World War II. After returning to the
United
States he began collecting funds for a monument to honor the victims of
this
tragedy. Appealing mostly to veterans organizations he managed to raise
$1,600
after ten years. In 1989, Major Knefel appealed to the Maryland Division
of the
Polish American Congress and the organization's officers: Melvin Laszczynski
(President),W. Milan-Kamski (First Vice-President), and Alfred Wisniewski
(Second Vice-President). They approved the idea to erect a monument and
agreed to
form the Katyn Memorial Committee of Baltimore.
The early
Katyn Committee's meetings were held at the Polish American
Veterans Hall on Fleet Street. Among the earliest members and officers
were: Clement Kenefel (Chairman), Melvin Laszczynski, W. Milan-Kamski
(First Vice-Chair), Alfred Wisniewski (Fundraising Chairman), Lucjan Antosiak
(Treasurer), Frank Lanocha (Corresponding Secretary), Jerzy and Barbara
Miegon, Stanislaw and Alfreda Jamrosz, Stella E. Spies (Recording Secretary),
and Stanely A. May.
Due to ill
health Major Knefel resigned and Mr. Kamski became Chairman,
serving for two years. He was succeeded by Alfred Wisniewski who saw
the project through its completion in 2000.
The Honorable
Kurt L. Schmoke, Mayor of Baltimore, was appealed to and he
proposed a site located east of the Baltimore Inner Harbor for the memorial.
The site was accepted by the Committee and became Katyn Circle at
President and Aliceanna Streets.
The Katyn
Committee moved to the Polish National Alliance on Eastern
Avenue when its President, James Mislak, became a member of the Board.
After Mrs. Josephine Kowzan became a Board Member she offered her
storefront home, at 520 South Broadway, as Headquarters for the Committee.
On August
11, 1994 the National Katyn Memorial Committee was incorporated
and obtained a 501(c)3 recognition from the IRS. The Officers and Directors
who signed the articles of incorporation were: Alfred B. Wisniewski, George
Miegon, Stella E. Spies, William Krol, James Mislak, John Balicki, Barbara
Miegon,
Lucian Antosiak, James C. Hunt, Thomas Hollowak, and N. Frank Lanocha.
The Polish
born sculptor, Andrzej Pitynski, had been recommended to
the Committee by the Polish Embassy in Washington, D.C. The monument,
which graces the Katyn Circle, is a forty-four foot bronze sculpture
with Polish historical and military figures through the ages and representives
of those massacred in the Katyn Forest. Mr. Pitynski traveled to Gliwice,
Poland several times to supervise the construction of the monument. The
sculpture was completed in the Summer of 2000 and arrived in Baltimore
in
mid-September. The formal dedication took place on November 19, 2000.
The officers at the time of the dedication were: Alfred B. Wisniewski
(Chairman
Emeritus), Edward B. Rybczynski (Chairman), William F. Krol (Vice-Chairman),
Henry Wentz (Treasurer), Richard Poremski (Recording Secretary), and Stella
E. Spies (Corresponding Secretary).
Upon completion
of its 11 years crusade and dedication of the Memorial, the
National Katyn Memorial Committee was disbanded. It was succeeded by the
National Katyn Memorial Foundation whose stated mission is the
perpetual maintenance of the Memorial and conducting the annual Katyn
Remembrance ceremonies every April.
.