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The exhibit is at YSU’s William F. Maag Jr. Library Saturday-Thursday
Reception, book talk set for Thursday
YOUNGSTOWN
A 15-panel exhibit portraying an important piece of Polish World War II history is on display in Youngstown starting today.
The exhibit, a pictorial synopsis of Norman Davies’ best-selling book “Trail of Hope,” tells the story of how the Polish Army, known as Anders Army, was formed on Soviet soil.
The panel is on display today through Thursday on the fifth floor of Youngstown State University’s William F. Maag Jr. Library.
The exhibit ends with a reception and book talk, presented by Cuyahoga Community College professor Andrew Bajda, at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Bajda will be accompanied by his father, 95, who will talk about his experience as part of Anders Army.
The subtitle of “Trail of Hope” is “How the Anders Army Escaped from Stalin’s Empire.”
For information, contact Polish Youngstown (PYTown) at 330-333-9724.
Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer, active in the PYTown organization, said when she learned the exhibit was touring Polish-American cultural centers, she began working on bringing it to Youngstown.
“I know there are people in our community who had been deported from Poland to Siberia. The bigger issue is that we as Americans and Polish-Americans don’t always learn about our history, and this exhibit is a perfect chance to do so,” Heschmeyer said.
The Anders Army, after surviving in a harsh environment, was evacuated to Palestine where it was placed under British command and fought in the Italian campaign, including the Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome, considered one of the bloodiest battles of WWII.
Anders Army is credited with making a huge contribution in the liberation of Italy, Heschmeyer said.
“The minute I heard there was an opportunity to bring the exhibit here, I contacted Dr. Brian Bonhomme, head of the history department at Youngstown State University, to enlist his help,” she said.
PYTown, in collaboration with two student organizations, the YSU History Club and Slavic Student Association, are hosts for the free event.
“It’s a rare opportunity to see and learn about this history locally. It is housed permanently in Chicago and not always on display,” Heschmeyer said.