The importance of material evidence and the role of archaeological research in the process of disproving the Katyn lie (1943–2023)

The main aim of the article is to show the importance of material remains and the contribution of Katyn archaeology in disseminating knowledge about the Katyn lie and the truth about the Katyn massacre between 1943 and 2023. The authors present: 1) the nature and conditions of the Katyn lie and the significance of material evidence indisproving it; 2) individual and public expectations and reactions to material remains and towards archaeological research; 3) the contribution to making the resting placesand the material evidence from the death pits vibrant and causative for the victims’ families, for the community of remembrance and the human community of suffering,and for the broad public of today and the future. The paper is based on data and analyses rooted in archaeology, history and cultural anthropology.