A ceremony united the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy Náchod / Kudowa-Zdrój, April 15, 2026
Náchod commemorated the courage of Italian soldier Luigi Baldan. A ceremony united the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy
Náchod / Kudowa-Zdrój, April 15, 2026
Representatives of the cities of Náchod, Kudowa-Zdrój, and Mirano, along with residents, on Wednesday, April 15, commemorated the dramatic story of Italian soldier Luigi Baldan, who escaped from the Nazi POW camp in Kudowa-Zdrój at the end of World War II. The ceremony and the symbolic "March of Remembrance" highlighted the prisoners' courage and the solidarity of local residents who aided them during the occupation.
The day's program began with a morning mass in the church near the former camp in Kudowa-Zdrój. A ceremony then took place at the prisoners' common grave, where city representatives laid flowers in memory of the victims of Nazi persecution.
The program also included a symbolic, approximately seven hundred-meter "March of Remembrance" along Łąkowa Street to the site of the former camp, commemorating the route taken by Luigi Baldan to escape from SS troops on April 15, 1945. The ceremony concluded with the famous Italian song "Torna a Surriento" performed by Kudowa-Zdrój singer Andrzej Biliński. Finally, participants listened to Psalm 23 in Italian, Czech, and Polish – a symbol of the shared memory of the three nations.
After the ceremony in Kudowa-Zdrój, the delegations moved to Náchod, where an official meeting was held in the ceremonial hall of the town hall. The guests were welcomed by Náchod's mayor, Jan Birke, who emphasized the importance of historical memory and the courage of those who help others in difficult times. "The story of Luigi Baldan reminds us not only of the tragedy of war, but also of the humanity and solidarity of the people in our region. It is important to pass these stories on to future generations so they are not forgotten," said the mayor.
Also present at the meeting were the mayor of the Italian town of Mirano, Tiziano Baggio; Luigi Baldan's daughter, Caterina Baldan; Czesław Kręcichwost, a representative of the Glacensis Euroregion and long-time mayor of Kudowa-Zdrój; and Bronisław Kamiński, the initiator of the idea.
During the ceremony, Luigi Baldan was posthumously awarded a commemorative medal, which was accepted by his daughter, Caterina Baldan. The town of Mirano also received a painting depicting Baldan's escape, donated jointly by the towns of Náchod and Kudowa-Zdrój and the event organizers. The work was created by Polish painter Krzysztof Kurzydlak.
The event also highlighted the broader historical context of the region. In addition to the assistance provided to prisoners during World War II, the post-war refugee assistance provided as part of Operation Bricha, during which approximately 70,000 people passed through Náchod and Kudowa, was also recalled. The history of the Kudowa-Zdrój camp itself was also recalled, where people of various nationalities were imprisoned – Italian soldiers, Soviet prisoners of war, and Polish civilians, including residents of Warsaw after 1944.
The ceremony recalled not only the dramatic events of the end of World War II but also the values of courage, solidarity, and cooperation across borders that still connect the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy to this day.
