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We, the citizens of Poland, who for the past seventy years couldn't reconcile to the loss of their best sons killed in the Katyn forest, appeal to the citizens of Russia, thanking them for their call for reconciliation.

We are delighted with the help and solidarity, addressed to us both by the Russian state and by ordinary citizens of Russia in this tragic period for us. In the plane crash near Katyn, near Smolensk, we have lost not only the head of the state, but again, like 70 years ago, the part of the elite of independent Poland has been lost as well.

A crime committed against the Polish officers in 1940 divided our people for many years. Now we are sprinkled with the blood of our contemporaries, it dropped once again to seep into the same ground. Both events are linked by the place and the pain, and if the former was a consequence of the Stalinist terror that affects the Russians as well, the second was a disaster, for which we can not blame the owners of the Russian land.

Living through today's tragedy, we understand and feel that we are not alone, as it was 70 years ago. We feel that close to us, united in sympathy and saying in the plain language of gestures and assistance are the authorities and the citizens of Russia - the state, which is the successor of the USSR. We accept these gestures and words especially noticeable, because they are the negation of the essence of the crime committed several decades ago - they are the manifestation of Russia, which we always wanted of its people.

We are the citizens of the Polish State, but at the same time, we are the spiritual children of the Polish Pope John Paul II. That heritage obligates us to request the world not to leave this solidarity unanswered.

We therefore appeal to the Russian people: let this fresh blood spilled under Katyn, unite us, let it help us to come to terms with each other. Let it be a sign of new beginning in the Russian-Polish relations, which are not burdened by mistrust, lies and insults. Let the Poles and the Russians get together collectively for the whole world to see the example of what can be higher than the cruel fate. We believe that we share a common conviction: it is not evil that wins, good is to triumph and be victorious!

For the good that we obtain from you in these days, we thank you from the heart. We hope very much that together with you we can create good future - good for Poland, for Russia, for Europe.

Zdzisław Jurkowski, Ks. prof. Jan Szczepaniak, Aleksander Galos, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz
Fundacja Badań Europejskich "Sarmacja" w Krakowie

Małgorzata Nocuń, Andrzej Brzeziecki
"Nowa Europa Wschodnia"

Ks. Adam Boniecki
"Tygodnik Powszechny"

Marek Dziewięcki
Onet.pl

Posted: http://tygodnik.onet.pl/30, 0,44315, artykul.html