The Polish Tragedy of Smolensk

A day that should have sent long-awaited, necessary and beautiful signals of reconciliation between Poland and Russia from Katyn to audiences in both countries and worldwide (similar to the visit of prime ministers Tusk and Putin earlier this week), has instead become the scene of unprecedented tragedy when the plane carrying the Polish president and over 90 other high-profile members of the delegation crashed near Smolensk airport as it attempted to land in thick fog, apparently leaving no survivors.

With the president, many deputy ministers, members of the top brass of the armed forces, leaders of political parties, civil society and the church as well as relatives of the Katyn victims perished in this sudden twist of fate.

Not only Poles and Europeans, but people worldwide grieve and stand together in this moment. Our prayers go out to the victims and their families.

It is at moments like this that we all must refrain from pointing our attention to the question of who to blame, because it was an accident and such thoughts would not bring a single one of the victims back. Instead, the focus should be on shaping a future that is worthy of the victims and their unrealized potential. Without a doubt, those who draw false conclusions and conspiracy theorists will appear from the fringes and endeavour to exploit the tragedy.

However, we can be confident that Poland will have the resilience and the strength to recover from this loss and carry on in the spirit that united all passengers of that fateful flight on their way to Smolensk: To remember and to pay respects to the Katyn victim together with the Russians, to thus perceive a common loss and overcome differences and petty animosities on a path of honest reconciliation.

While the trauma of Katyn has now been exacerbated and complicated by the plane crash at Smolensk, the noble spirit in which this day began is what it should eventually be remembered for.