Twenty-four years ago today, on 11 July 2002, a memorial to the three brilliant Polish mathematicians and codebreakers – Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski – was unveiled at Bletchley Park, the historic home of Britain’s wartime codebreaking operations.

The memorial was unveiled by His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in the presence of representatives of the Polish diplomatic service and Ryszard Kaczorowski, the last President of the Republic of Poland in Exile. The ceremony was a powerful recognition of Poland’s vital contribution to one of the greatest intelligence achievements of the Second World War.

The memorial bears the following inscription:

“This plaque commemorates the work of Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski – mathematicians of the Polish Intelligence Service – who first broke the Enigma code. Their work greatly assisted the codebreakers at Bletchley Park and contributed to the Allied victory in the Second World War.”

The memorial is one of many reminders that the achievements of the Polish codebreakers are remembered and honoured in the United Kingdom. At Bletchley Park, their pioneering work forms an integral part of the permanent exhibition and is regularly highlighted in publications, educational programmes and public events.

For many years, Sir Dermot Turing, nephew of Alan Turing, has also championed the story of the Polish codebreakers, consistently emphasising that the Allied success against Enigma would not have been possible without the groundbreaking work of Rejewski, Różycki and Zygalski.

It is therefore important to challenge the persistent myth that Britain alone broke the Enigma cipher. Because the details of wartime cryptographic operations remained classified for decades, many people were unaware of Poland’s decisive role. Today, historians in both Poland and the United Kingdom recognise that it was the Polish mathematicians who first broke Enigma, passing on invaluable knowledge that was later developed further at Bletchley Park.

This shared technological and historical legacy continues to be celebrated through close cooperation between the Enigma Cipher Centre in Poznań and Bletchley Park, promoting public understanding of one of the greatest collaborative achievements of the Second World War.

The legacy of the Polish codebreakers continues to be honoured across Britain. Most recently, on 27 June 2026, during the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Liss, Hampshire, a commemorative plaque dedicated to Henryk Zygalski was unveiled at the local Royal British Legion branch. The plaque was unveiled by members of his family following remarks by a representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland.

Later this year, Polish Sue Association will once again have the honour of participating in the Polish Codebreakers Festival at Bletchley Park. Through our educational and commemorative work, we remain committed to preserving and promoting the extraordinary story of the Polish mathematicians whose achievements helped change the course of history.

Their legacy is not only part of Poland’s history—it is part of our shared Allied heritage.

Text: Polish Sue

Photo: Polish Sue