The Maharashtra government is setting up a museum to commemorate around 5,000 Polish World War II refugees who lived in Valivade, Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra between 1942 to 1948. 

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Museum for Polish Refugees of World War II

A press release by Press Information Bureau read, “A permanent museum will be set up here containing Photographs, paintings, and other important items and materials from that era. The purpose of this museum is to keep the memories of the past alive for the next generations. The museum will be built in one year time".

The press release said that the Polish citizens who spent their childhood from 1942 to 1948 in Valivade, Kolhapur will also be staying in Kolhapur for three days between September 13-15, 2019 to relive their childhood memories. Some of them have arrived on Thursday and participated in the Ganesh immersion ceremony. The attendees of the commemoration ceremony include Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador of Poland in India, Adam Burakowski; Member of Parliament Sambhaji Chhatrapati and Guardian Minister of Kolhapur, Chandrakant Dada Patil will also be present at the event on Saturday. 

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The purpose of this museum is to keep the memories of the past alive for the next generations. The museum will be built in next one year," read a press release by Press Information Bureau, Mumbai. 

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Polish citizen regularly visit the site to relive memories

Daulat Desai, district collector, Kolhapur, said that the citizens from Poland, now settled in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and the Middle East regularly visit Valivade and the cemetery as they were born in Valivade or were between 4 to 10 years of age when they left the refugee camp and after peace returned to the war-torn States.  

A business conclave has also been organized on Saturday morning with the leading industrialists of Kolhapur, wherein the foundry, auto parts, high precision tools, sugar and jaggery products, etc. will be discussed.

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