Poznan June 1956 Monument

These two statuesque crosses are bound together by a giant cord, but they are also bound to Poland's often tumultuous past.

Made of steel, the two crosses were unveiled on June 28th, 1981, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first Polish rebellion against Soviet control. In addition to the massive crosses, there is an eagle head sculpture and a nearby tablet commemorates a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1997, while close by there is an information point filled with facts about the uprising. Since its inauguration, the monument has gone on to become a very powerful symbol of remembrance about the painful events of Poland's past. While the 1956 action is the focus of the monument, the statue also honors all of the subsequent patriotic and social riots of the Polish people in the years 1956, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1980 and 1981.