International pre-screening of The Pilecki Report in Washington

The Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, D.C., held a preview screening of the feature film “The Pilecki Report” directed by Leszek Wosiewicz and Krzysztof Łukaszewicz on Thursday. The film, made with the help of the Polish National Foundation (PFN), among others, tells the story of the communist-murdered soldier who infiltrated the Auschwitz camp during World War II.

According to PFN representatives, the time and place of the film’s screening were not coincidental, as the museum, which opened last year, commemorates the nearly 100 million victims of communism, one of whom was Pilecki himself. In addition, May 25, by decision of the European Parliament, became the International Day of Heroes of the Fight against Totalitarianism.

“This film tells the story of a man who has become a symbol of our determination and the dramatic choices faced by individuals and communities in the face of mortal danger,” Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Piotr Gliński said.

In turn, Chairman of the Board of the Polish National Foundation, Marcin Zarzecki pointed out that “Rotmistrz (Captain) Witold Pilecki in the mass consciousness is a hero equal to ancient heroes. We want his extraordinary biography, of a man who fought against two totalitarian forces of the 20th century, to become recognizable abroad as well. Hence the pre-premiere screening of the film at the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, D.C., a place where Rotmistrz Pilecki holds a strategic place in the narrative of the constitution of the anti-communist movement.”

We are proud to partner the special screening of the new film "The Pilecki Report" today at @VoCommunism. Witold Pilecki was a Polish hero and resistance fighter during #WW2, killed #OTD in 1948 by the communist regime. He is the patron of this year #PolishHeritageDays... 1/2 pic.twitter.com/GPjWvdeAMm

— Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska (@RybkaIwanska) May 25, 2023

The Pilecki Report

“The Pilecki Report” shows the unbelievable story of Witold Pilecki. “A distinguished army officer, Pilecki joined the Polish resistance in the early days of the Second World War, volunteering to infiltrate and report on the Nazi atrocities inside the Auschwitz concentration camp. Allowing himself to be captured and sent to the camp, he organized a resistance network among the prisoners and smuggled intelligence out. Pilecki’s intelligence was circulated among Allied governments, providing one of the first eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust,” the Victims of Communism Museum wrote on their official website.

The film centered on Pilecki’s valiant struggle against the Nazi occupation. However, it also depicts his escape, involvement in the Warsaw Uprising, and resistance after the Soviet Red Army occupied Poland.

Pilecki was taken prisoner in 1948, subjected to torture and given a death sentence by the communist authorities. He was executed on May 25, 1948.