Polish president dies in plane crash

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a group of the country's leading lawmakers were killed in a plane crash in western Russia earlier in April. Kaczynski's funeral was held Sunday in Krakow, but ash from the Icelandic volcano prevented President Obama and some other world leaders from attending.

A priest escorts the coffins of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria during a funeral procession through Krakow, Poland on Sunday. The presidential couple and other Polish officials died in a plane crash in Smolensk, Russia earlier this month.

Bela Szandelszky-AP

People wait to celebrate mass for victims of the Smolensk plane crash in Krakow, Poland on Sunday. Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria were to be buried at Wawel Cathedral.

Petr David Josek-AP

A Polish nun prays while waiting for the arrival of the coffins of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria in downtown Krakow, Poland on Sunday.

Bela Szandelszky-AP

Soldiers follow the gun carriage with the coffin of President Lech Kaczynski. Polish and foreign leaders attend a funeral in Krakow for Kaczynski, but a volcanic ash cloud over Europe prevented some overseas guests from joining them.

Str-REUTERS

Guard of honor passes by a picture of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria who are buried at Krakow's Wawel Cathedral.

Petr David Josek-AP

Jaroslaw Kaczynski (fourth from left), the twin brother of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, stands with the late president's daughter Marta (left) and her husband Marcin Dubieniecki (third from left) during the funeral procession.

Radovan Stoklasa-REUTERS

Soldiers carry the coffin of Polish President Lech Kaczynski out of the Mariacki church in Krakow, Poland.

Petr David Josek-AP

April 13, 2010

Soldiers carry the coffin of the Polish first lady during a repatriation ceremony at an airport in Warsaw.

Kacper Pempel-Reuters

April 13, 2010

The president's brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski, third from left, and daughter Marta attend the repatriation ceremony for the first lady in Warsaw.

Kacper Pempel-Reuters

April 13, 2010

A funeral procession for the first lady heads toward the presidential palace in Warsaw.

Ints Kalnins-Reuters

April 13, 2010

A hearse bearing the coffin Poland's first lady is strewn with flowers en route to the presidential palace in Warsaw.

Agencja Gazeta-Reuters

April 13, 2010

Military pallbearers carry the coffin of Poland's first lady into the presidential palace.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 13, 2010

People pay their respects at the coffins of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria. A state funeral is planned for the couple.

Agencja Gazeta-Reuters

April 13, 2010

Polish officials lay flowers and light candles in front of the Parliament building during a memorial service in Warsaw.

Fabrizio Bensch-Reuters

April 13, 2010

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, twin of the late Polish President Lech Kaczynski, stands near photographs of victims of the plane crash in Russia.

Agencja Gazeta-Reuters

April 13, 2010

Former Polish presidents Lech Walesa, front center, and Aleksander Kwasniewski, front right, join a memorial service at the Parliament building in Warsaw.

Fabrizio Bensch-Reuters

April 13, 2010

Mourners carry portraits of the late Polish President Lech Kaczynski, and his wife, Maria, after viewing their coffins in Warsaw.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 12, 2010

Shipyard workers hold flowers as they pay their respects to the late Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, in front of the Gdansk Shipyard. Kaczynski's coffin returned home to a stunned nation on Sunday, a day after he and much of the country's political and military elite died in a plane crash in Russia.

Agencja Gazeta-Reuters

April 12, 2010

People wait in line to sign books of condolences next to a sea of candles left by mourners outside the Presidential Palace in memory of Kaczynski. The Polish president, his wife and leading members of the Polish military and government were killed when the presidential plane they were traveling in crashed while attempting to land in Smolensk, Russia, on Saturday.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 12, 2010

People observe a picture of Poland's first couple near the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

Ints Kalnins-Reuters

April 12, 2010

A black flag and flowers sit on the presidential chair in the Polish Parliament.

Alik Keplicz-AP

April 12, 2010

People mourn in front of the President Palace two days after Kaczynski's fatal crash.

Markus Schreiber-AP

April 12, 2010

A Polish soldier arranges flowers left by mourners next to a portrait of Kaczynski and his wife outside the Presidential Palace.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 12, 2010

A newspaper seller sits by Monday editions of Polish newspapers, all bearing news of Kaczynski's death.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 11, 2010

People watch as the hearse bearing Kaczynski's coffin drives through Warsaw.

Reuters

April 11, 2010

Artist Kiki Garber, left, obscured, gets help carrying her painting of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria as she heads home after displaying it at a Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. The mass was dedicated to all those who perished in the plane crash in Russia.

Tina Fineberg-AP

April 11, 2010

Warsaw, the capital, fell silent at noon, when sirens wailed and a moment of national reflection was observed.

Petr David Josek-AP

April 11, 2010

Russian honor guards carry the coffin of Polish President Lech Kaczynski during a farewell ceremony at the Smolensk airport in western Russia.

Sergey Ponomarev-AP

April 11, 2010

An elegant esplanade in front of the palace was so jammed that many could not move; police and girl scouts had to lock arms to prevent the crowd from destroying islands of votive lamps.

Petr David Josek-AP

April 10, 2010

In interviews, people said that they did not support all of Kaczynski's often abrasive policies but that they were drawn together to honor a man who symbolized their national pride and willingness to challenge Russia.

Sean Gallup-Getty Images

April 10, 2010

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, left lay flowers on the site of the plane crash near Smolensk in western Russia.

Alexei Nikolsky-AP

April 10, 2010

A man mourns the deaths of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria during a special service at a church in Lviv, western Ukraine on Saturday. The Kaczynskis, Poland's central bank head and the country's military chief were among 97 people killed when their plane crashed.

Gleb Garanich-Reuters

April 10, 2010

Mourners gather in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland to pay tribute to President Lech Kaczynski who died after a Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft crashed in thick fog on its approach to a Russian airport on Saturday.

Alik Keplicz-AP

April 10, 2010

A picture of Polish President Lech Kaczynski is placed with flowers in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

Kacper Pempel-Reuters

April 10, 2010

Mourners gather to remember Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria during a special service at a church in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Saturday.

Gleb Garanich-Reuters

April 10, 2010

At the presidential residence Gorki outside Moscow, Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin cross themselves after lighting candles in memory of those who died in the crash Saturday.

Ria Novosti-Reuters

April 10, 2010

People light candles and place flowers in front of Poland's embassy, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday.

Mindaugas Kulbis-AP

April 10, 2010

A woman signs a condolence book for Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland on Saturday.

Czarek Sokolowski-AP

April 10, 2010

People mourn in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland on Saturday.

Czarek Sokolowski-AP

April 10, 2010

Emergencies Ministry members carry a coffin with the remains of a victim in the crash that killed several of Poland's leaders, including its president, the army chief of staff, national bank president and deputy foreign minister.

Sergei Karpukhin-Reuters

April 10, 2010

Emergencies Ministry members work at the site where a Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft carrying Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and other country officials crashed in thick fog on its approach to a Russian airport on Saturday.

Reuters

April 10, 2010

A man and child watch fire engines head to the site of the plane crash near Smolensk airport on Saturday.

Sergei Karpukhin-Reuters

April 10, 2010

An image from video footage shows firefighters extinguishing flames near the wreckage of a Polish government Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft on Saturday.

Reuters TV-Reuters

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This Story Poland's acting president reassures nation in mourning Article \| WARSAW -- Poland's interim president, Bronislaw Komorowski, reassured his countrymen Monday that the government continues to function despite the airplane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski and a number of senior officials, stunning Warsaw's political elite and plunging the nation into a ... Poland's president dies in plane crash Polish president dies in plane crash Lech Kaczynski, 60: Anti-communist Polish president rose to power with twin brother Glance at some of those who died in plane crash Recent Tupolev-154 crashes Poland mourns deaths of leaders in plane crash Poland moves to fill key posts after plane crash Poland mourns leader who forged a new nationalism		Network News X Profile View More Activity TOOLBOX E-Mail This Reprints		More on washingtonpost.com • More Photo News » washingtonpost.com
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Polish president dies in plane crash

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a group of the country's leading lawmakers were killed in a plane crash in western Russia earlier in April. Kaczynski's funeral was held Sunday in Krakow, but ash from the Icelandic volcano prevented President Obama and some other world leaders from attending.

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