Polish border town marks WWII massacre amid rising dread of Russia threat

For 80 years, the Polish town of Suwałki has honoured 16 partisans hanged by Nazi occupiers in a public execution. Today, their memorial takes on new urgency as residents draw parallels between history and current tensions with Russia. The Suwałki Gap—where Poland, Lithuania, and Russia’s Kaliningrad meet—has shifted from tourist curiosity to fortified border zone. Ukrainian refugees here warn of repeating pre-WWII mistakes, citing Putin’s ambitions and Western hesitancy. Layers of trauma overlap: Nazi atrocities, Soviet control, and now fears of renewed conflict. Barbed wire and emergency bags underscore a community caught between remembrance and preparation. In Suwałki, the past is a mirror for an uncertain future.

Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull reports from Suwalki, Poland.

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