Beneath the solemn arches of what remains of the Saxon Palace’s colonnade in Warsaw stands a monument that quietly bears the weight of history – the Grave of the Unknown Soldier. On 2 November 1925, the remains of an unidentified Polish combatant were interred there, not as an individual hero, but as a representative of all who gave their lives for Poland.
The concept of honouring an unknown soldier emerged after the First World War, when nations sought tangible ways to pay tribute to the countless fallen soldiers who remained unnamed. Poland embraced the idea in the early 1920s, and after much debate, chose the central arcades of the Saxon Palace as the site.
The sculptor Stanisław Ostrowski designed the tomb with a simple but powerful vision: in the centre lies the grave, flanked by stone pillars inscribed with the names of Polish battlefields, above which the words declare, “Here lies a Polish soldier who fell for the Fatherland.”
In late October 1925, three coffins were exhumed from a battlefield near Lwów. One was chosen by the mother of a young soldier whose name and rank were unknown. The chosen coffin was transported to Warsaw in a solemn procession, marking the symbolic transfer of all Polish sacrifice into one sacred space.
Over the decades, the site has reflected the turbulence of Polish history. During the Second World War, the occupying German forces demolished the Saxon Palace, yet the fragment of the colonnade sheltering the grave miraculously survived as a silent witness to endurance and loss. The monument was rebuilt in 1946 and later expanded. In 1989, soil from the Katyń graves was placed there, joining other tributes to battles and campaigns fought across generations.
Today, the site remains a place of national ceremony and quiet reflection. The eternal flame burns unceasingly, and on state holidays a guard of honour keeps vigil. Visitors stop in silence, removing their caps in respect. The monument invites not just remembrance of one soldier, but of all who gave everything for Poland’s independence.
In a rapidly changing city, the Grave of the Unknown Soldier stands as both anchor and mirror, a place where Poland confronts its past, honours its defenders, and renews its promise to remember.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz marked the centenary of the Grave of the Unknown Soldier with a special address.
His message, posted on the X platform, came ahead of a solemn ceremony at Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square, where soldiers of the Polish Army will perform a ceremonial changing of the guard. President Karol Nawrocki and senior military leaders will attend, unveiling a plaque and laying a wreath in honour of Jadwiga Zarugiewiczowa, the woman whose hand and heartbreak once chose the nameless hero.
Photos: British Poles
Tomasz Modrzejewski
