On Tuesday, 16 December, the Institute of War Losses in Lublin organised a press conference, followed by a historical and educational lecture.

The event was attended by Minister Jakub Stefaniak, Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office, which emphasised the importance and significance of the initiatives carried out by the Institute. After the conference, there were many discussions and interviews with representatives of the local media.

During the meeting, a wide range of activities carried out by the Institute of War Losses was presented, focusing on researching and documenting war losses and restoring the memory of their consequences for the history, culture and heritage of Poland. Particular attention was paid to Lublin – the pre-war centre of Poland, a city of exceptional historical and cultural significance, which today plays an important role as a centre for research on the eastern heritage and the experience of the Kresy region.

The conference was followed by a lecture entitled ‘The potential of Polish military aviation in the Second Republic and its development prospects in 1935–1939’, another event in the series ‘Shadows of War. Meetings on Losses and Memory’. The lecture was given by Dr Marcin Paluch, a lecturer at the Military University of Aviation in Dęblin, who discussed the modernisation ambitions of the pre-war Polish Army, the development of the domestic aviation industry and projects – such as the PZL.37 ‘Łoś’ bomber – whose further development was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.

The selection of the Józef Czechowicz Museum, commemorating the talented artist who died in the bombing in September 1939, emphasises the importance of Lublin as a place where history meets current research trends on war losses, especially in the former Eastern Borderlands. Thank you for your cooperation.