LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION expressing sincerest sorrow upon the occasion of
the untimely death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who died in a
plane crash on Saturday, April 10, 2010

WHEREAS, It is with feelings of great sorrow and deepest regret that
this Legislative Body records the passing of Polish President Lech
Kaczynski, a lifelong academic who rose to popularity leading Warsaw,
Poland; and
WHEREAS, A plane carrying 60-year-old Polish President Lech Kaczynski,
his wife, Maria, and dozens of the country's top political and military
leaders, crashed while trying to land at an airport near Smolensk in
Russia, tragically taking the lives of all those on board; and
WHEREAS, President Lech Kaczynski was on his way to attend a ceremony
observing the 70th Anniversary of the Russian massacre of Polish prison-
ers of war in the village of Katyn; it was just a few miles east of
Katyn when it crashed around 10:50 a.m. on the outskirts of the town of
Pechorsk, close to Smolensk; and
WHEREAS, During the Russian massacre, approximately 20,000 Poles,
including soldiers and civilians, were executed there during World War
II; and
WHEREAS, Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski immediately assumed
the role of Acting President and declared it "a time for national mourn-
ing"; and
WHEREAS, The other Polish officials killed in the crash include Alek-
sander Szczyglo, head of the National Security Office; Jerzy Szmajdzin-
ski, Deputy Parliament Speaker; Andrzej Kremer, Deputy Foreign Minister;
and General Franciszek Gagor, the Army Chief of Staff; in addition,
Slawomir Skrzypek, head of the National Bank of Poland, also died in the
crash; and
WHEREAS, President Lech Kaczynski was born in June of 1949, to parents
who were educators; his mother, a teacher, served as a nurse during
World War II, and his father was a lecturer at Warsaw University of
Technology; President Kaczynski was one of twin boys who would both hold
national office; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Lech Kaczynski was elected President of Poland
in 2005, after securing more than 54 percent of the first round vote;
and
WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of citizens across Poland observed a two-
minute-long moment of silence to remember their leader as well as all
the others who died in the plane crash; and
WHEREAS, New York State proudly enjoys a substantial population of
residents of Polish ancestry; sharing their traditions and culture with
New York, the Polish presence has positively impacted many neighborhoods
and has led to the creation of several vibrant Polish American community
institutions and organizations; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion, and supported by a loyal nation, President Lech Kaczynski
leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and
will remain as a comforting memory to all he served; and
WHEREAS, A respected dignitary and trusted leader, President Lech
Kaczynski was a man of values and commitment, and each and every citizen
of Poland most certainly benefited from his sincere dedication, intelli-
gence and compassion; he will be greatly missed and truly merits the
grateful tribute of this Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
express sincerest sorrow upon the occasion of the untimely death of
Polish President Lech Kaczynski, recognizing the significance of this

exemplary man who dedicated himself to the people he served; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of President Lech Kaczynski.