Situated just east of Lychakiv, the Eaglets Cemetery ('Orlat'in Polish) was constructed in the 1920's in tribute to Poles who fought for the city in the wake of the First World War. Those laid to rest here included casualties of both the Polish-Ukrainian War (1918) and the Polish- Bolshevik War (1919-21). Since the Poles were ejected from the city by Stalin a generation later (1946), the cemetery became an awkward reminder for Soviet led Ukraine. The authorities allowed for the cemetery to fall into ruin, and in some cases forcibly encouraged destruction. In 2005, the cemetery was officially reopened amidst joint declarations of good will. In turn, the Poles pledged to look after former Ukrainian cemeteries and monuments in today's Poland. The Eaglets cemetery has been carefully restored and makes for a striking reminder of times past. Worth spotting is the monument to American pilots who defended the city against the Red Army (1921).
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