Commemorating the outstanding cardiologist – Professor Askanas and his students

A gravestone stands against a snowy background. The vertical plaque displays the first name, last name, academic title, and dates of life of one person. In front of the gravestone lies a bouquet of flowers. Snow partially covers the plaque and the decorations.

As they do every year, representatives of the 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology of UCC MUW, together with invited guests, laid flowers on the graves of Prof. Zdzisław Askanas and his students: Prof. Leszek Ceremużyński, Prof. Tadeusz Kraska and Prof. Jerzy Kuch. Professor Askanas was the founder and first head of the 4th Department of Internal Medicine, currently the 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology at MUW, and the founder of the famous Warsaw Academic School of Cardiology.

The ceremony organized by Prof. Marcin Grabowski, the Head of the First Chair and Department of Cardiology, was attended by: Prof. Rafał Krenke, the Rector of our university, former employees of the 4th Department of Internal Medicine: prof. Grzegorz Opolski (the previous head of the department), Prof. Hanna Szwed, and successive generations of the Askanas school: Prof. Andrzej Budaj, the Head of the Department of Cardiology Clinic at CPME, Prof. Artur Mamcarz, the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology at MUW, Prof. Wojciech Braksator, the Deputy Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Hypertension at MUW, and Jan Herc, a student from the Student Scientific Club of the 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology at MUW.

Traditionally, the ceremony was an opportunity to commemorate the subsequent generations of the Askanas school, identified with the post-war Warsaw Academic School of Cardiology. To this day, the school has been developing by successive generations of scientists and clinicians. It has produced many generations of outstanding cardiologists – heads of chairs and heads of hospital cardiology departments in Warsaw.

Nine people are standing in a semicircle by the grave. The group consists of both women and men. They all have serious, focused expressions. They are looking down toward the flowers and candles.

Four people are standing by a snow-covered grave. One person is bending down and placing flowers on the grave. Another is holding a wreath in their hands.

The gravestone is covered with a layer of snow. On the plaque, a carved cross and the names and life dates of two people are visible. In front of the gravestone stand four candles. Next to them lies a bouquet of arranged flowers

Nine people are standing in a semicircle by the grave. The group includes both women and men. They are all looking down toward the flowers.

A portion of the gravestone is covered with snow. The stone plaque displays the names and life dates of two people. The letters are clearly and legibly engraved. In front of the gravestone lies a bouquet of arranged flowers.

A person’s hands are lighting a candle placed on the snow. Next to it stand two other candles. On the ground lies a bouquet of flowers with light-colored roses.