Colonel Kukliński Put His Country First
Ambassador Grudziński at the Remembrance Evening

This evening we have gathered at the Embassy of Poland to commemorate the late Ryszard Kuklinski, a man of extraordinary virtues and the colonel of the Polish Armed Forces. It is my great honor and privilege to welcome Mrs. Kuklińska, wife and a life-time companion of Colonel Kukliński. She shared with her husband all hardships brought by their unusual life with courage and dedication. Her support for her husband cannot be overestimated in the proper understanding of his life. I also extend my heartfelt welcoming a beloved grandson of Colonel Kukliński – Michał as well as to other close members of the family. We are happy to welcome this evening also guests from Poland. Let me acknowledge the presence of Mr. Jan Parys, a former minister of defense of the Republic of Poland and Mr. Roman Barszcz, a close friend of Colonel Kukliński. I would like to welcome all those who were acquainted with Colonel Kukliński and those whose life was deeply influenced by him. Comprehending the complexity of Colonel Kukliński’s life story is a demanding and challenging task. How to describe the motives of his actions without leaving out any important elements? How to fully reflect the price of the sacrifice, which he accepted? How to look into the soul and the heart of this humble man? All these questions are so significant and multidimensional that any attempt to answer them risks almost an inevitable failure. Fortunately enough, Colonel Kukliński comes to our rescue in this challenge. He had a very short, yet meaningful answer. “ I was a Pole”, he said in response to a question regarding his motivation. Through the choices he had made, through the motives he had embraced, through the risk he had accepted he did express what being a Pole meant to him. Now, when he has departed the story of his life remains as a testament of the values he believed in. He considered himself a patriot.

And a patriot he was. Poland was the most important value to him. He believed that Poland’s destiny is freedom and its place was among other nations that were founded upon the premise of liberty. He saw Poland as a respectful member of the family of freedom loving nations.As a Polish

patriot, whose conscience was formed by the tradition of the struggle for independence, he put his country first among the values in his life. He did not seek publicity or fame. He was not interested in looking for any gratitude, had it be material or ceremonial. Humbleness was the language of his soul. His dedication to the cause had no limits. Colonel Kukliński acted in solitude. But, he was convinced that his motivation reflected thoughts and aspirations of millions of his compatriots.

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         Ambasador Przemysław Grudziński

This gave him strength and faith to face the danger that followed his decision and empowered him to cope with a dilemma resulting from his choice. Colonel Kukliński struggled with a decision he had ultimately taken and viewed it as a moral dilemma. He asked himself whether he had a right to do what he intended to do. He knew that his choice would have far-reaching consequences, not only for himself and his family, but also for millions of people. This struggle seems to have been a very important, formative, experience for him. Once he thoroughly considered his options, he reached a conclusion that he had to act. For him, it was not merely right but even more, a moral obligation. For Colonel Kukliński being a Pole implied a call to take action despite all odds. It also meant a resistance to being hijacked by hopelessness and despair, even though a geopolitical position of Poland did not leave much reason for optimism and the Soviet Army was “ in front of us, and behind of us, and the situation was hard”. The path Colonel Kukliński chose required full dedication and even sacrifice. Not only did he risk his professional

career but also his personal security. Moreover, his loved ones became directly affected in consequence of his decision. Only Mrs. Kuklińska knows how high the price was. And, she deserves our greatest respect for that. In the depth of his conscience Colonel Kukliński had always been a Polish soldier. Not only did he not accept the fact that the Polish Armed Forces were a part of the Soviet war machine, but also he believed that Polish and American soldiers should fight shoulder to shoulder. How miraculously his dream came true! Fortunately, it did not happen in the context of a conflict between NATO and the Soviet Union, under circumstances he feared so much. Indeed, the Polish Armed Forces have been standing “shoulder to shoulder” with the American Army in the Balkans, Afghanistan, as well as in Iraq. Their cause, our cause is right and just: bringing security, freedom and democracy to people who want to pursue their happiness unharmed by terrorists as well as ethnic and religious extremists.

The decision Colonel Kukliński made constituted a serious dilemma for many of his compatriots. Some deemed it controversial. Now, when Colonel Kukliński passed away and Poland is progressing toward strengthening its alliance with the United States these controversies should fade away. His life was extraordinary, as extraordinary will remain his legacy. For those, who will continue to appreciate it, there will always be one guideline, which can be found in a cable sent to the CIA Headquarter in 1972 and I quote: ”In short, he’s a Pole". I am happy to acknowledge the presence of Dr. Zbigniew Brzeziński at our ceremony. Dr. Brzeziński has committed a great deal of his effort so that the truth about Colonel Kukliński and his contribution to a peaceful ending of the Cold War be revealed and properly understood. These are crucial elements, which give Colonel Kukliński a just place in our memory. Hopefully this will lead to a closure of the last chapter of his remarkable journey through the storms of our recent history.