NV03 - 037 - Postcard Set - Polish Military Cemetery - Montecassino
This is a set of 16 postcards titled "MONTECASSINO". for the Polish Military Cemetery and Monuments at Monte Cassino, Italy. This solemn memorial is the final resting place for over 1,000 Polish soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps who died during the intense and pivotal Battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944.
Key details about the cemetery and monument:
- Location: The cemetery is located on the slopes between Point 445 and the Abbey on the mountain of Monte Cassino. It is the closest of all Allied cemeteries to the Abbey, symbolizing the significance of the Polish victory.
- Significance: The Polish forces were the ones who finally captured the strategic mountain after several brutal, unsuccessful Allied assaults, a turning point in the Italian Campaign.
- Inscriptions: The memorial features powerful inscriptions, including a well-known epitaph that translates to: "Passer-by, go tell Poland, That we have perished obedient to her service. We soldiers of Poland, For our freedom and yours, Have given our souls to God, Our bodies to the soil of Italy, And our hearts to Poland".
- Notable Burial: General Władysław Anders, who commanded the 2nd Polish Corps, is buried among his men in the cemetery, fulfilling his final wishes.
- Museum: A small but informative museum is located near the cemetery entrance, detailing the history of the battle, the journey of the Polish soldiers from the Soviet Union, and their sacrifices.