The event will commence with a short lecture by Dr Kamila Oleś from University of St Andrews: Memory Crafted in Stone: The Polish Paratroopers’ Mosaic of St Andrews as a Material Representation of Collective and Mediated Memory.Kamila invites you to discover a remarkable story of three young Polish paratroopers who studied at the University of St Andrews during the Second World War. Trained as part of the Cichociemni (“Silent Unseen”), they combined bravery with extraordinary artistic talent, creating a mosaic in Edinburgh that was later installed on the façade of St Andrews Town Hall as a gift of gratitude from Polish soldiers to the town that welcomed them. In the post-war years, when many could not openly share their identities under communist persecution, the mosaic’s role evolved, from a wartime token of gratitude to a powerful symbol of memory, commemoration, and communication, silentlyuniting those whose stories could not be spoken.Our special guests will be descendants of Polish soldiers, who inherited and safeguard the enduring legacy of their heroism and dedication to liberty. Their recollections, a tribute to what life was like for them and their families will bring a touching personal perception of those times.As poetry, music and songs accompanied the soldiers, connecting them to their faraway homeland as well as immortalising their fight to regain freedom, during the event we will also share a few such pieces - come and sing along with us!The event has been funded by the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh.
