Historical Calendar: July 6, 1934 – The Russians open camp in Bereza Kartuska

Historical calendar: July 6, 1934 – the creation of a concentration camp by sanatorium in Bereza Kartuska. Józef Piłsudski himself approved the thought of the camp.

Today in our Calendar, we will look at the creation of a concentration camp for the political enemies of Sanation.

The hard interior situation resulting from erroneous economical and social solutions and the effects of the 1929 external crisis caused the increasing discontent with the ruling sanatorium camp among Poles. Unemployment and poorness caused labour and peasant strikes, which were frequently ignited by communists. In turn, a terrible national policy has led to tensions in this field too.

In general, only declared Poles were allowed to administration, judiciary, education and higher degrees of officers. There was a radicalization of Polish nationalists who blamed cultural and spiritual minorities for the bad situation.

In turn, these minorities besides began to rise their heads and blame their mediocre material position, on the government. Fiscalism and the demolition of private property combined with the inept policy of the Polishization of Belarusians and Ukrainians had the other effect. Minorities did not assimilate, but even more hated the Second Poland, hoping to be liberated from its oppressive rule, even at the hands of the USSR.

In 1934, Ukrainian radicals carried out a successful assassination of the peace-keeping minister of the Second Polish Republic, Bronisław Pieracki. This became the origin of the creation of the concentration camp in Bereza Kartuska in the same year.

Józef Piłsudski, who liked the thought of then Prime Minister, Leon Kozłowski, was straight behind the decision made by Ignacy Mościcki. He personally visited the Nazi camp in Dachau and was very fond of the Nazi concept of fighting political enemies. In his eyes, the camp was of course to be a place of isolation of opponents of the sanitation government.

The project, after the acceptance of Piłsudski, went into the implementation phase as early as 1934. Bereza was to function only a year, but in practice operated until the outbreak of planet War II. It was visited (usually without a court judgment) by opponents of the authorities from nationalists to communists from KPP and Ukrainian chauvinists from CNS. There were inhuman sanitary conditions in the camp. In addition, prisoners were physically and mentally abused. Many have lost their wellness and even their lives.

Bereza, the blackest card of the sanitation, served not only as an isolation site for Ukrainian chauvinists. It was besides planted and tortured by communists, German diversionists, recidivists, economical speculators and nationalists, with no judicial judgement needed, but a simple administrative decision.

With all the negatives, it is worth remembering that Bereza was never shut down for cultural or spiritual affiliation, but for subversive action against power. This means that it was not a typical concentration camp that existed at that time in Germany and the russian Union.

The camp was officially established on 12 July 1934 by decree of president Ignacy Mościcki, however, it began operating earlier, from 6 July erstwhile the first 2 prisoners were brought in.

Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.