In Puławy, plans for the Run of Remembrance for the Cursed Soldiers, commonly known as the Wolf Trail, have become a source of controversy. A local association named Razem dla Puławy, led by Beata Kozik, announced an intention to organize the event. However, the national coordinator of the campaign, the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, stated that it had no knowledge of such a group and that there has been no formal partnership to run the event in Puławy. Kozik, who at one point pursued the presidency of Puławy, had previously voted against building a monument to Maj. Marian Bernaciak, a noted figure associated with the Cursed Soldiers, in Puławy. The explanation from Kozik centered on concerns about the chosen location rather than the concept of commemorating the soldiers.
The political landscape in Puławy has shifted, with Kozik stepping down from a leadership role in the local administration more than a year ago and now positioning Razem dla Puławy as a party slate for municipal elections. In the competition for the city’s top post, she would encounter Paweł Maj, the incumbent president.
Beata Kozik and the Wolf Trail project
Beata Kozik proposed holding a Wolf Trail Run at the Puławy MOSiR Stadium on March 3, requesting facilities such as an athletics track, a sound system, parking, restrooms, and distance measurement equipment. At the same time, she indicated collaboration with the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, stating that this foundation coordinates Wolf Trail events across Poland.
According to the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, the Razem dla Puławy association is not, and has never been, a partner in organizing the Puławy Remembrance Run. A spokesperson noted that during the project’s twelfth edition no entity registered to organize a race in Puławy. The run has been held for three years, with Bez Miar Foundation identified as the organizing partner in the past. The foundation stressed that there was no formal agreement with Razem dla Puławy to run in Puławy.
The foundation’s position was conveyed to media outlets and is documented in their official statements. This has left some observers questioning the sincerity and feasibility of the announced event in Puławy.
Kozik’s explanation for the season’s outcome
When pressed for clarification, Kozik indicated that the race would ultimately not take place. She cited a lack of available resources as a factor in the decision. A letter discussing the organization of the event and noting the need for certain provisions was interpreted as a sign that the collaboration with the Freedom and Democracy Foundation existed only as a potential arrangement. At present, Kozik’s association has not confirmed plans to organize the race with the national foundation.
The monument discussion and Bernaciak’s legacy
Back in December 2019, Kozik opposed the construction of a monument dedicated to Maj. Marian Bernaciak, known by the alias Columbine, a prominent Cursed Soldier associated with Puławy. The possibility of a monument in a location tied to Bernaciak was tied to local debates about space and the community’s preferences. The Polish president had posthumously honored Bernaciak with the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
Local residents and members of the Puławy branch of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers submitted an application to erect the monument, hoping to fund the project as part of participatory budgeting. This proposal was discussed at a Puławy Municipal Council session but was ultimately rejected.
During later interviews, Kozik clarified that her concern was not with the idea of the monument itself but with the chosen site. She suggested an alternative plan that would place a large, three-dimensional sign reading PUŁAWY in the area previously occupied by the monument to Orlik. The discussion underscored the tension between honoring historical memory and addressing residents’ preferences for public space.
In the end, the question of Bernaciak’s commemorative site remains unsettled in Puławy, reflecting broader debates about how communities remember the Cursed Soldiers and how new projects are received by local populations.
Source notes indicate these discussions arose from local media coverage and official statements within Puławy, illustrating how historical memory intersects with local politics and municipal planning.