[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5337-5338]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LEADERS OF POLAND KILLED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF APRIL 10, 
                                  2010

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, this past Saturday, one of America's 
longest and strongest allies, the Republic of Poland, suffered a 
horrendous loss. A plane carrying 97 passengers crashed in Russia, 
including Polish President Lech Kaczynski; First Lady Maria Kaczynski; 
Ryszard Kaczorowski, who led a government in exile during the

[[Page 5338]]

Communist era; Jerzy Szmajdzinski, the Deputy Speaker of Poland's 
Parliament; Aleksander Szczyglo, the head of the National Security 
Bureau; Adrrzej Kremer, the Deputy Minister of foreign affairs; 
Franciszek Gagor, the Army Chief of Staff; along with the president of 
Poland's National Bank, and a host of other public servants, including 
Anna Walentynowicz, the brave worker and opposition activist whose 
dismissal at the Gdansk shipyard in 1980 started the strike that led to 
the formation of solidarity.
  All modern leaders of the Polish nation, they were mothers and 
fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, proud Poles all, now 
lost to this life but not to history.
  But yet again, the Katyn forest embraces the collective tragedy of 
Poland's precious leaders. In the most morbid of ironies, the doomed 
plane was flying to Russia to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 
Katyn massacre, when more than 22,000 Polish officers and leaders were 
murdered at the hands of Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Army in and 
around that forest during World War II. Their bodies were buried and 
the truth hidden for seven decades. That is the truth of their 
slaughter. That history still must be made whole.
  As the former President of Poland, Lech Walesa, stated, the crash 
marked ``the second disaster after Katyn. They wanted to cut off our 
head there, and here the flower of our nation has already perished,'' 
he said,
  ``Buttons,'' a poem by Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert, written in 
memoriam of the Katyn massacre, contains one stanza which captures this 
modern-day tragedy as it does this Polish tragedy of 70 years ago for 
which it was originally penned.
  ``When only the metal buttons of the soldiers remain as they work 
their way to the Earth's surface from below, after decades where 
history has been masked. Now again a bird flew over, a cloud is 
passing, a leaf is dropping, a mallow grows, heavens above are filled 
with silence; the Katyn forest smokes with fog.''
  However, as the smoke and fog clears the Katyn forest this time, 
Poland will stand and prevail as a stable democracy. After this 
tragedy, Poland again will be led by valiant Poles and will not be 
occupied by foreign nations.
  After an unimaginable loss of leadership such as this, a lesser 
country would crumble, but not Poland. As the Polish expression reminds 
us, ``So long as we are alive, there will be a Poland.''
  The nation of Poland is free and strong today. Against a backdrop of 
oppression, partition and heartbreak, it has emerged as one of the most 
freedom-loving, vibrant countries in Europe.
  The United States stands in solidarity and support of her ally during 
this time of sorrow and mourning. The House of Representatives will 
honor the souls who were lost last week and remember those who were 
killed 70 years ago with a Special Order tomorrow.
  We extend our condolences to the friends and families of those who 
perished, to the people of Poland, to the nation of Poland, and to the 
people of Polish heritage throughout the world.
  This is a terrible catastrophe that brings to mind the many tragedies 
that have befallen Poland in the past. Yet, as we mourn, we must 
remember and honor what the Polish people have endured and overcome. 
They will do so again. We hold them in highest respect. And even 
through our tears, we can see clearly that Poland's best days are still 
ahead.

                          ____________________