Maria Kaczynska
(1942 - 2010)
Maria Kaczynska: an extraordinary woman: brave, optimistic, kind, calm, modest and witty; an exemplary spouse, mother, grandmother and first lady. Socially engaged, charitable, art-loving, promoting women's role and rights in society, women who combine family and career, live a healthy lifestyle and surround their husbands and children with love and care.
Together with her husband Lech, whom she supported at all times and accompanied wherever she could, Maria fought a long battle for independence, freedom and a better future for Poland, the country they both so much loved, served and were ready to die for.
And then suddenly... on that black day in history, April 10, 2010, caught in a metal cage and surrounded by smoke and fire, perishing together with all those dear persons who shared their noble mission and their patriotism and brought the disrupting and unbelievable news to the world.
Maria was my best friend among all the first ladies whom I know, my shining example, and I will terribly miss her, together with millions of people in Poland, Georgia and other countries. The last time I saw her was just weeks ago in Warszawa, when she and Lech opened the renewed Fryderyk Chopin Museum and where we - and her right hand Izabela Tomaszewska who also lost her life in this tragedy - listened to Chopin's enchanting melodies played by Barenboim, Kissin and Garrick Ohlsson whom she admired particularly. We said goodbye to each other in our gala dresses... knowing we would meet again at a conference in two months time, but it was not to be....
Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs-Saakashvili
First Lady of Georgia