Condolence notes after the tragic death of the Polish President, his wife, and 94 passengers and crew members on board of the plane flying to the commemoration ceremonies of the 70th anniversary of the Katyń Massacre, keep pouring in from all over the world.
Condolences sent by friends of Adam Mickiewicz Institute:
I would like to express my deepest condolences for the tragic loss of the Polish President, The First Lady, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament and other officials in the terrbile accident on Saturday. This is not an easy time for the Polish people and I would like you to know that the people in Israel were deeply saddend by this news and identify with your pain.
- Alon Simhayoff (Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Israel, Warsaw)
My deepest condolences to all my Polish friends and the mourning nation.
- Valery Gergiev (London Symphony Orchestra)
This tragedy left us all speechless.
- Jonathan Mills (Director of Edinburgh International Festival)
What a terrible tragedy! It's impossible to imagine that so many good people could have been lost to Poland in that tragic way. I am sure you knew many people on that plane. It is so sad for their families and for the whole country. What an irony that this should happen so near to Katyń, about which I know so much from my husband. (He composed an "Epitaph to the victims of Katyń", where many people he knew disappeared, and which he felt very deeply.) Of course I knew the fine old Ryszard Kaczorowski, and the excellent Staś Komorowski who was a very popular ambassador here and a friend of my family. The internet is still not providing many names, Anyway, individuals apart, it is just terribly sad and bitter that the Katyń area should once more see a sad end to brilliant and many essential Polish people.
Just to say I am thinking about you, and I hope you have not lost any personal friends.
Yours
- Camilla Jessel Panufnik
I give you all my thoughts and share with you the wound of fate. Sorry for not coming today, I am waiting to participate in any commemoration when it will be decided. Pensées Marc
- Marc Minkowski (conductor)
Nira and I share your grief over the tragedy that has befallen Poland. It is an awful and difficult time for you, but we know that the Polish people will be able to surmount this catastrophe. Let's hope and pray for better days.
Warmest regards,
- Haim Finkelstein (Professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel)
Just a note to say how sorry I was to hear the news of the loss of your President. I believe he was a great supporter of culture and will be missed for that, and much else no doubt.
Best wishes
- Paul Hughes (Director of BBC Symphony Orchestra)
I just wanted to write to you to express my sympathy at the air crash that happened. Whatever one might think, such a devastating and indiscriminate loss of life of a country's representatives is a very shocking event for people. I hope that something good can still come out of such a terrible event.
- Mehelli Modi (founder and Managing Director of Second Run company, London)
This is just to pass on to you and your colleagues the best wishes of all of us in Glasgow after the terrible events of the weekend; as our celebration of Polish culture draws to a close next weekend, our thoughts are with you and all the friends we have made in Poland over the last months and years.
- Mungo Campbell (Deputy Director, Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, University of Glasgow)
I am so sorry for this tragedy. Please accept my deep condolences.
- George Arbid (Dept of Architecture and Design, American University in Beirut)
I should to if I may convey my profound condolences and deepest sympathy for the terrible tragedy of Saturday's air catastrophe and the subsequent loss of the lives of the President Lech Kaczynski and the First Lady Maria Kaczynska and so many other people of such significance, both as human beings in themselves, and for Poland in particular.
I was indeed, shocked, stunned and bewildered by this dreadful and apocalyptic event. This is a deeply saddening matter and I should like my condolonces to be passed on.
- Kevin Hayes (Artistic Director of the Witkacy 2010 festival, National Polish Center, Washington D.C.)
From all of us here we wanted to send to everyone in Poland, and particularly to all of those involved in the weekend whom we have been dealing with, our deepest condolences for the terrible recent tragedy that Poland has suffered. Our thoughts are with you, especially in this week of mourning.
From Everyone at Southbank Centre
- Marshall Marcus (Director at Southbank Centre, London)
Dear Friends,
I am thinking of you all tonight and sending my condolences. I know you will all play a leadership role in recovering and rebuilding. Sending love your way.
- Susan Feldman (Director of St. Ann's Warehouse, New York)
Gerne möchte ich Ihnen auf diesem Weg mein Mitgefühl nach der Tragödie am Samstag bekunden. Wie viele in der politischen Verantwortung stehende Deutsche sage auch ich: Wir Deutschen trauern mit Ihnen Allen.
In Trauer und tiefem Beileid,
- Ihre Gabriele Weber (Goethe-Institut Deutschland)
We are writing to express our sincere condolences on the loss of your president and other leaders in yesterday's horrific plane crash. We understand that Fr. Roman Indrzejczyk, Chaplain of the President of Poland, who was with you in your visit to Israel in November 2008, also was killed in the crash, and we are very sorry to learn about this since we remember his words of caring and wisdom when he was here in Jerusalem with you.
We in Israel - who have had the privilege of being in dialogue with you in recent years - feel that we have lost people from our extended family, friends of the Jewish People and the state of Israel.
May you be comforted among all those in Poland and in Israel and around the world, who share this great loss at this time
Sincerely,
- Rabbi Ron Kronish (on behalf of Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel)
Ms. Avigail Moshe (ICCI)
Rabbi Yehuda Gilad (Kibbutz Lavi and Yeshivat Ma'aleh Gilboa)
Rabbi Shlomo Brin (Yeshivat Har Etzion)
Rabbi Yehoyoda Amir (Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem)
Yesterday tragic plane crash and the death of so many members of the Polish leadership is shocking. I wish to convey my deep sorrow and condolences.
- Ami Steinitz (Ami Steinitz Gallery, Tel Aviv)
I'm so sorry about what has happened.
Absolutely devastating.
- Chris Salewicz (writer, rock critic)
I would like simply to send you my warmest thoughts following the tragedy of this week end.
I can imagine that all Polish people are deeply touch by this accident.
With best regards,
- Clément Ledoux (director of Naive record company)
So shocked to hear of the dreadful tragedy that happened yesterday. I do hope no one you know is involved. Just to send condolences and thoughts at this very sad time in your country.
With my very best wishes,
- Sara BenIsaac (Institute of Jewish Studies, UCL, London)
We were shocked to hear of the untimely and terrible death of President Lech Kaczyński and Poland's first lady, Maria Kaczyńska. We, who deal daily with culture and arts, know and appreciate the unique contribution of the late president in enhancing and developing the cultural bridges between Poland and Israel, and especially between the people and the artists of the two countries. We do remember the visit of Maria Kaczyńska on the occasion of the inauguration of the new offices of the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv, and on the occasion of the concert which closed the Polish Year in Israel, in 2009. We hope that Poland will soon recover from the tragic event and that the new leader of the Polish Republic will continue in the line of friendship, mutual artistic ventures and enhancement of the deeply rooted relationship between the people of both our countries.
- Miri Shamir & Yossi Schiffmann (Artistic Directors and Producers, Tel-Aviv, Israel)
I want to express all my sympathy for the huge loss that Poland is going through at this moment after the air crash of this week end.
I feel very sad and sorry for all the Polish population, and hope that Poland will recover from it like you always did in the past.
- Corinne Estrada (Managing Director of Agenda, France)
Estimados amigos:
Deseo transmitiros, en mi nombre y en el del festival internacional de Ribadavia, las más sentidas condolencias por tan triste suceso ocurrido en el día de hoy con el avión presidencial. Deseamos que nuestro pesar se una a las muestras de afecto ante este irreparable tragedia.Con todo mi cariño y afecto,
- Roberto Pascual (Director of Mostra Internacional de Teatro de Ribadavia)
I would just like to express my sympathy at the recent airplane disaster. Whilst it is serious on a national level, I feel sure you must have personal sadness too...
- Dr Geoffrey Álvarez (artistic advisor and conductor of The Alvarez Chamber Orchestra)