The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located in Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square in Warsaw. It was unveiled on November 2, 1925, beneath the colonnade of the Saxon Palace. On that day, the remains of an anonymous soldier, brought during a special ceremony from the Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów, were placed there.
The tomb was created by the sculptor Stanisław Kazimierz Ostrowski. At the end of World War II, the tomb was seriously damaged, but it was rebuilt and unveiled again as early as 1946.
An eternal flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw, and an honor guard from the Representative Battalion of the Polish Armed Forces performs duty there. On national holidays, its ceremonial changing takes place with the participation of the country’s highest authorities. Every Sunday, soldiers of a selected military unit or other uniformed services perform guard duty at the Honor Guard Post—in this case, they were soldiers of the mechanized battalion.
The Dragoons who took part in the changing of the guard decided to share their thoughts on this extraordinary day. “An Eternal Flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw. While performing honor guard duty there, one feels the presence of those who fell in the battles for our Homeland,” said Senior Private Rafał Kosiak. “It is an extraordinary experience and a great honor to be part of this ceremony, and above all, it is an expression of immense respect for all those fallen for whom God, Honor and Homeland, freedom and the country’s independence meant more than their own lives. Performing honor guard duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is an extremely moving experience. Every soldier should learn about the history behind it in order to fully understand the meaning of their service.
Senior Private Mateusz Wilczyński: “The city of Warsaw has beautiful traditions, an interesting history and many extraordinary sites commemorating soldiers who fought for freedom. It is worth remembering this and passing the history on to future generations. We can be proud of the achievements of our predecessors, of the entire generation that fought.
Senior Private Jarosław Nowak: “We must remain steadfast in our convictions and values so that the deeds and sacrifice of the heroes will be recorded for all time.”
Senior Private Łukasz Bzowy: “During the Ceremonial Changing of the Honor Guard Post before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw, I had the honor of paying tribute to the fallen soldiers who fought for the freedom and independence of the Polish Nation. An additional distinction for me was performing honor guard duty before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On that day, the motto ‘God, Honor, Homeland,’ which guided the soldiers fighting for Poland’s freedom and independence, took on special significance for me. While I was on duty, I was filled with pride when I saw people gathering in the square to admire us as we paid tribute to the unnamed soldiers.
Senior Private Mariusz Kaczmarek: “Standing in formation before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I was filled with pride that I could pay tribute to all those who gave their lives in the name of freedom.”
Private Krzysztof Pajdzik: “It is a great honor and distinction to have the opportunity to change guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Every soldier should experience it. One can feel firsthand the power of history, whose impact cannot leave anyone indifferent.”
The officer conducting the changing of the honor guard was Captain Krzysztof Krawczyk, commander of the 3rd Mechanized Company. The outgoing guard consisted of Private Krzysztof Pajdzik and Private Michał Pajda. The incoming guard consisted of Senior Private Rafał Kosiak and Senior Private Łukasz Bzowy. Information about the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade and the history of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was read by Corporal Adam Żurawski. Musical accompaniment was provided by musicians from the Representative Orchestra of the 11th Armored Cavalry Division: bugler Lance Corporal Bartłomiej Kida and drummer Corporal Artur Żornotal.
Soldiers participating in the Ceremonial Changing of the Guard Post before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Warrant Officer Maciej Kasowski, Warrant Officer Tomasz Wawrzyniak, Sergeant Rafał Jankowiak, Sergeant Sebastian Pietraszewski, Sergeant Wojciech Chojnacki, Senior Corporal Krystian Czarkowski, Senior Corporal Przemysław Maczel, Corporal Edward Chudy, Corporal Rafał Dawiskiba, Corporal Remigiusz Poniewierka, Corporal Krzysztof Pytel, Senior Private Paweł Mikołajewski, Senior Private Mariusz Kaczmarek, Senior Private Jarosław Nowak, Senior Private Daniel Urbanek, Senior Private Mateusz Wilczyński, Senior Private Elżbieta Orzechowska, Senior Private Zbigniew Gogol, Senior Private Piotr Cygan, Private Mateusz Gronek, Private Anna Klepuszewska and Private Michał Pajda.
soldiers of 3kz/Katarzyna Przepióra/ii