Iconic flag from Monte Cassino battle to undergo conservation

A historic Polish flag, famously raised by soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps atop the ruins of the Monte Cassino monastery in May 1944, is set to undergo a comprehensive conservation process. The ceremony for its handover to conservators will take place on August 15, Poland's Armed Forces Day, at the Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum in London.

Aneta Pytrus from the Institute of Polonica described the flag as one of the most recognizable symbols of Poland's involvement in World War II. "The sight of the white and red flag over the captured Monte Cassino hill became an icon of the victory achieved by Polish soldiers during one of the toughest battles of the Italian campaign and a symbol of Poland's contribution to the defeat of the Third Reich," she explained.

The conservation project is a joint initiative by the Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum, the Polish National Foundation, and the Institute of Polonica. Its primary goal is to secure the invaluable artifact and prepare it for future exhibitions. This marks the first extensive conservation of the flag since 1979. The project, funded by the Polish National Foundation, will also include specialized research and the creation of a modern display case by the Institute of Polonica to protect the flag from environmental factors.

Conservation work will be carried out at Zenzie Tinker Conservation in Brighton, based on an expert assessment by Professor Monika Stachurska of the Academy of Fine Arts. Organizers emphasize that the project transcends the preservation of a single object, viewing it as an example of cooperation among emigrant communities, social organizations, and state institutions dedicated to safeguarding Polish heritage abroad. The flag's history is intertwined with the story of Poland's post-war emigrant community, many of whom could not return to Soviet-dominated Poland after 1945.

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The sight of the white and red flag over the captured Monte Cassino hill became an icon of the victory achieved by Polish soldiers during one of the toughest battles of the Italian campaign and a symbol of Poland's contribution to the defeat of the Third Reich.