U.S. and NATO leaders join Poland for 616th Anniversary Grunwald Commemoration and Reenactment

Grunwald, Poland - U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steven Saxion, Battalion Commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Wargo, Command Sergeant Major, of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, met with Polish government officials as they arrived at the Battle of Grunwald Ceremony on July 18, 2026, at the historic Grunwald battlefield.

The commemoration marked the 616th anniversary of the decisive 1410 clash in which Polish-Lithuanian forces under King Władysław II Jagiełło and Grand Duke Vytautas defeated the Teutonic Order led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen.

The ceremony opened with the leaders of the opposing forces appearing in full historical reenactment costume, setting the stage for the battle reenactment that followed.

Soldiers from both Polish and Lithuanian forces flanked the grounds, and senior NATO leaders and government officials sat on the main stage.

A representative from the Ministry of Defense gave a speech on the battle's historical importance, saying it reminds him of "unity, wisdom, and also of the spirit of our ancestors."

The 1410 Battle of Grunwald site - a nationally protected historic monument that includes preserved meadows and forests, the 1960 Grunwald Victory Monument, and the archaeological remains of the 15th-century Pobitewna Chapel - remains central to Polish national memory.

The 28th reenactment on July 18 drew thousands of spectators as roughly 1,300-1,500 reenactors staged choreographed sword fights, cavalry charges, archery displays and cannon fire based on the chronicle of Polish historian Jan Długosz.

The reenactment started gradually but grew in intensity: horses collided early, fires erupted in town structures, larger formations maneuvered into position, swords clashed, and arrows sailed across the field until the Polish-Lithuanian allied troops celebrated their victory over the Teutonic Order.

Saxion, Commander of the NATO Forward Land Forces (FLF) Battle Group-Poland, said, "It was an honor to be invited and participate in such a historic and memorable event."

At the conclusion of the reenactment, Saxion and Wargo joined other senior leaders of the NATO FLF Battle Group-Poland to lay a wreath at the Grunwald Monument on the historic Grunwald Battlefield, a deeply symbolic tribute to the fallen knights and soldiers of the 1410 battle.

"The NATO FLF Battle Group's home is here in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship along with the 15th Mechanized Brigade and the 16th Mechanized Division," Saxion said. "Anytime we can spend more time with our adjacent units and local hosts, it's important we take advantage of these opportunities."

U.S. and Allied participation in Poland's historical commemorations underscores Allied solidarity, honors Polish traditions, and reaffirms NATO's commitment to security and partnership in the region.