Instytut Pamieci Narodowej
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Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (IPN, Institute of National Remembrance) is a Polish institution created by the IPN Act in 18 December 1998.
Its main purpose is investigating Nazi and Communist crimes, taking care of documentation about them, providing this documentation to public, prosecuting those who committed such crimes and educating public in this respect. The main focus of the Institute are crimes omitted by the communist authorities of Poland prior to 1989.
The first president of the IPN is Leon Kieres, elected by the Sejm for 5 years in 8 June 2000.
The IPN is divided into:
- Komisja Ścigania Zbrodni Przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu (Committee for the Prosecution of Crimes Against the Polish Nation)
- Biuro Udostępniania i Archiwizacji Dokumentów (Bureau of Provision and Archivization of Documents)
- Biuro Edukacji Publicznej (Bureau of Public Education)
- Local chapters
One of the most widely reported cases investigated by the IPN thus far is the Massacre in Jedwabne.
External link:
- IPN Home Page (http://www.ipn.gov.pl/index_eng.html) (English)pl:Instytut Pamięci Narodowej