Parthemores in Poland

Earlier today we heard the news that the Polish President Lech Kaczyński’s plane crashed in Russia, killing everyone on board.  In addition to the President and his wife, the plane carried many important political, military, and religious leaders.  The Army Chief of Staff, the Central Bank Leader, and the vice foreign minister were just a few of the casualties.

According to the Polish Constitution, Kaczyński will be succeeded by Bronisław Komorowski, the current leader of the Sejm, the Polish Parliament. 

This delegation was in Russia to mark the 70^th Anniversary of the Katyń Massacre, when over 20,000 Polish Officers, academics, and political leaders were murdered by the NKVD, on orders from Stalin.  This event is still very painful for the Poles, especially since Russia has been very secretive about what actually happened.

Sadly, some of the people killed in the crash today were families of the Katyń victims. 

We haven’t really witnessed any of the shock and mourning that is sure to follow.