The bitter consequences of planet War II peculiarly affected the destiny of hundreds of thousands of soldiers fighting in the ranks of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. Many of them did not return to the country, many who decided to return met repression. Thus the people's homeland thanked Polish soldiers for their service and blood shed on the war fronts.
Soldiers of the 2nd Warsaw Armoured Division on the SS ship "Eastern Prince" return to their homeland, after the demobilization of the Polish Armed Forces in the UK, the summertime of 1947.
“The very awaited return of our troops from the West began,” he triumphantly reported “Polish Soldier” in an article entitled “From French Land to Poland”, published in November 1945. He went on to point out: “The first compact branch to cross the border of Poland in full arms is the 19th and 29th Polish Infantry Group at the First French Army under Major Jeleń.”
When in the spring of 1945, on various fronts in Europe, the silence works, in front of soldiers fighting in ranks Polish Armed Forces in the West The question was more and more clear: what next? The end of the war was equivalent to the cessation of war, but for hundreds of thousands of Poles who were in the West, it besides meant that a hard decision had to be taken. Do you set up a life on emigration, in a abroad environment, distant from home country, families, loved ones, but in free and democratic Western countries? Or should I return to Poland ruled by communists and subordinate Moscow, whose interests were guarded by a immense russian army?
The “Polish Soldier” editorial did not without reason kill back to country 19 and 29 of the Infantry Group. Both formations were not random: they came from the West, but mainly soldiers with leftist and even communist sympathies, from both Polish minorities in France, and from Poles who crossed the West after the fall of Poland in 1939. They were so perfectly suited for propaganda usage in the then national press. And it was not a coincidence that Major Bolesław Jeleń was a veteran of combats in Spain, as he served in ranks inspired by Komintern and supervised by the russian services of the 13th global Brigade named after Jarosław Dąbrowski, and after returning to the country he worked in the alleged news services. Both Bolesław Maslankiewicz (the leader of the 19th Group) and Jan Gerhard (the commander of the 29th Group) belonged to the communist party. The return from the West to Poland of full military units – as it did with the 19th and 20th Infantry Groups – was, however, an exception alternatively than a regulation after the war ended.
Soldiers aboard SS east Prince, 1947.
On abroad soil
Between 1945 and 1948, respective 100 1000 Poles in the West had to look for their place in a fresh post-war reality, in various ways connected with the military. They were not only soldiers who had spent the erstwhile years in various formations of the Polish Armed Forces in the West (in the summertime of 1945 there were as many as 230 1000 soldiers in the PSZ-et ranks), prisoners of war, prisoners of concentration camps (including Warsaw insurgents), but besides Poles who are members of local conspiracy formations.
It shortly turned out that a large policy had cast a long shadow on their individual fates, and in peculiar the decisions that fell between the large powers during the Maltese conference. The consequence of these findings was the shift of Polish borders to the West and the failure of east voivodships by Poland, which were located in the USSR. Yalta besides discussed repatriation – that is the return of civilians and prisoners of war and forced workers to their countries of origin.
The substance became urgent: the stay of hundreds of thousands of Poles was becoming more and more troublesome for the governments of Western countries, it besides became crucial from the Warsaw perspective. As a result, the shift of the Polish borders to the west of Poland gained a section of the sea coast of about 500 km. This opened up the substance of his protection, posed the problem of building a fresh navy – while the sailors in Poland were for a cure. In particular, it was about returning to the country of the officers' staff, which could deal with the formation of branches, organizational work and training. The issue was all the more important, due to the fact that in the country part of the staff were russian soldiers, many of them did not even talk Polish. For example, out of the 7 admiral posts existing in the Navy in 1945, only 2 were occupied by the Poles: Jerzy Kłossowski and Adam Mohuczy.
Where's my house?
Polish soldiers in Western countries were besides a problem for local governments: they ceased to be needed as an allied force, and they required attention and considerable financial resources needed to keep them, and discipline and order had to be kept under guard, whereas Western authorities had quite a few other, their own problems. Michał Bankiewicz, 1 of the 1st Armoured Division soldiers General Stanislaw Maczka“The [British] press insinuated or wrote openly: ‘The war is over, Poles, return to each other!’ Poles would like to go home, but where was the house?" She explains: “Most of us came from the east Borders, which after the Yalta conference were the russian Union. russian communists have already begun to expel Poles from these areas. [...] Stalin, in order to receive much needed aid from the West, signed a contract in which he promised to release Poles from concentration camps. no of those who got out of those camps half alive wanted to return to communist Poland and hazard deportation.”
Check-in before practice. From the left: Colonel Kazimierz Dworak, General Stanisław Maczek, Rtm. T. Wysocki.
Disappointment with political decisions of the powers was common among Polish soldiers. But besides the Western public frequently sided with Poles: “Our situation on the island became difficult, sad and very depressing”, Mieczysław Borchólski, another of the soldiers of Maczka, recalled. "The arrangements in Yalta have crossed many of our hopes and desires." He emphasises: “In serious English writings, specified as ‘Times’ or ‘Observer’, there were articles that powerfully stigmatized the actions of the British government, peculiarly Churchill and president Harry S. Truman of the United States, for having suffered large harm, that the war began in defence of the Polish borders and so on.” Borchólski, however, bitterly states: “Well, politics does not follow sentiments, does not admit the slogans that were on our banners: ‘God, Honor, Homeland’, is cruel and merciless. Everyone guards their interests first. It is simply a pity that we, while carrying out respective years of effort, have become victims of these agreements.”
Governments of Western countries – in peculiar the UK, where Poles were most – tried to solve the case of Polish soldiers in a systemic way. Borchólski describes it this way: “The British authorities, demobilizing their troops, were besides forced to liquidate the Polish army. The situation wasn't easy. After all, they could not burden all Poles on ships and send them back to the country. [...] They urged to return to the country and made it easier for everyone.”
Expatriation experience
In order to aid soldiers decision to civilian life, the British authorities decided to make a specialized formation, given the name of the Polish Corps of Adoption and Distribution (PKPIR). “We signed a contract for 2 years. The drafts were reduced, especially for seniors, due to the fact that it was no longer an army, but alternatively a military organization allowing to gain a profession or any organization of private life," Borchólski explained.
In many cases pragmatism prevailed, many soldiers after long months in Britain, France and Italy tried to find themselves in the postwar reality of Western countries, looking for opportunities to gain and prospects. They were active with women there. Gen. div. Stanisław Maczek in his memoirs wrote that in Dutch Breda "a good 100 soldiers married and settled permanently". Those who participated in the war or stayed in the Isles for more than 5 years, the British government went on to make it possible to gain citizenship. “It made us laughter a little, due to the fact that we didn’t start the war to become English after it ended”, he ironized Borchólski. However, many Polish soldiers took advantage of this offer, who decided to start life again.
Leaving the camp of the Polish Corps of Adoption and Distribution in Ayr by soldiers of the 2nd Warsaw Armoured Division. Preparation to change military clothes to civilian.
The British government utilized incentives to encourage others to leave: “The British authorities, however, primarily wanted Poles to leave the island. They paid a peculiar bonus to the departures early until the end of the contract with PKPiR. Very many soldiers and reserve officers with a profession declared their willingness to leave. any returned to the country, and many left for Canada, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and where they had only seen the chance of settling and appliances themselves”, Borchólski describes.
The postwar fates of Polish soldiers who decided to stay in the West were very different. The stories of Polish generals, who had no civilian education, did not find themselves in the labour marketplace and had to last from physical work, are known. This was the case of Maj. Gen. Stanisław Maczek, who, after demobilization, worked as a physical worker, store salesman, and even as a bartender and porter at the hotel. The physical work was besides performed by Brig-Gen Stanisław Sosabowski, who was employed as a warehouse worker.
Many soldiers among those who chose to stay on the emigration continued their military careers. The destiny of Polish airmen led by Władysław Turowicz, who formed the foundations of the Pakistan Air Force, is peculiarly interesting here. Notable, though exceptional is the case of Joseph Bartosik, who served the rank of Rear Admiral in the British Navy. any Polish soldiers went to the British Army's peculiar auxiliary units, where they were active in logistics or watchkeeping.
The Polish way in modern Britain is the traditions of the 7th Royal Logistics Corps Transport Regiment (7 Transport Regiment Royal Logistic Corps). The symbol of the regiment is simply a white eagle in a crown appearing on a white-red shield, and the authoritative call of this unit is "White-Red". The Polish tradition is besides referred to by the regimental flag: on the red shield there is an image of a white eagle in the crown.
Those who returned
Among Polish soldiers there were many who decided to go to Poland. According to Borchólski, “many thousands of soldiers [Polish] reported their willingness to return first. They had something to go back to. They felt unusual on the island, especially since they did not talk English.” It is estimated that by the end of 1948 more than 100,000 soldiers, formerly members of the Polish Armed Forces in the West, had returned to the country. Among those who decided to start their lives again, was Mieczysław Pawlikowski, an actor, the celebrated performer of the character Onufrego Zagłod in the movie “Mr. During the years of the war he served in Polish bombing squadrons in the UK, flying with droplets over occupied Europe. He returned to Poland in August 1945, but did not take up military service, but fulfilled his young dreams and began his acting career.
Western Repatrians frequently decided to proceed their service in the military and volunteered for the army. They faced verification commissions and were then directed to work in the formation of postwar military structures. Experienced with specialist cognition and skills, they rapidly advanced. That was the destiny of the colonel's pilot. Stephen Scibra, who during the war was the commander of the 305th Bomb Squadron, after returning to the country and verification took on the position of commandant of the pilot school in Dęblin. Another pilot of the same squadron, Colonel Stanisław Michowski, found work in the General Staff. On the another hand, Colonel Władysław Minakowski, who fought in the 304th Bomb Squadron, became commander of 1 of the aircraft.
Soldiers of the 2nd Warsaw Armoured Division on the SS east Prince ship after the demobilization of the Polish Armed Forces in the UK, 2 August 1947.
Purges in the ranks
It shortly became apparent that specified service was at large risk. After the first period erstwhile opposition parties headed by PSL were openly active in the country, communists – according to the celebrated words of Władysław Gomulka, said in mid-June 1945, “We will never quit the power erstwhile won!” – went on to strengthen governments. In the fall of 1949, the erstwhile Minister of Defence, a march, was removed from power. Michał Rola-Żymierski, and Deputy Minister General Dyw. Marian Skuszalski. They were accused of the alleged right-nationalist deviation, which was to consist, among others, of the fact that Poles, including soldiers from the Polish Armed Forces in the West, were mainly admitted to military service. The Head of the Chief Board of Information of the Polish Army, Colonel Stefan Kuhl, even made accusations that the erstwhile command "too much importance was attached to the expertise of soldiers", without considering their ideological preparation. As a result, the charge became what is the most crucial in any average military formation: that is, the competences resulting from experience. This was peculiarly actual for soldiers who had experience in the pre-war period or during the service period in the Polish Armed Forces in the West.
President Bolesław Bierut gave a signal for cleaning in the army, who said crucial words in November 1949: "Today's task is to bring out the hidden enemy's survivors and spread through all the cracks of the social device cunningly masked by his tentacles on which they effort to base their spy, harmful, conspiracy, terrorist and diversionary work hostile to us imperialistic abroad means." It was an impulse: the action to track down the “primialist stilts” within the ranks of the army went for good. shortly thereafter, the press began to study the suppression of "criminal plots of Sanantio-Fascist officers, agents of Anglo-American intelligence". According to authoritative accusations, the conspirators took up service in the folk army to take over the army and subject it to an emigration government in London. A branched conspiracy was led by a group of advanced officers, including generals: Stanisław Tatar, Jerzy Kirchmayer, Stefan Mossor and Franciszek Herman. In fake trials, alleged conspiracy leaders were condemned and sentenced to life sentences or many years imprisonment. But that did not end there. Tracking spies and agents deep-spirited in military structures, communists arrested active service officers and reserve. They were subsequently accused of participating in anti-state activities. The only responsibility of officers who faced the dimension of folk justice was that they fought in the West or belonged to the Home Army.
The most celebrated trial concerns the alleged Commanders' plot, where the main accused were 7 advanced naval officers – during the war they were prisoners POW campsAfter the war, they voluntarily returned to the country. akin game Stalinist investigators “trace” in the air troops, and on the bench of the defendants sat, among others, Colonel Stephen Ścibior, Colonel Stanisław Michowski, Colonel Władysław Minakowski, who served in the aviation of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. They were all well-deserved, experienced, highly decorated, any even Virtuti Military Orders.
This fierce search for enemies in their own ranks led to the fact that the most faithful of the faithful – as mentioned at the beginning of the text Jan Gerhard, commander of the left-wing 29th Polish Infantry Group: in September 1952 he was arrested on suspicion of cooperation with French intelligence. As a consequence of specified an attack from autumn 1949 to late 1954, as many as 10,000 officers were removed from the ranks of the army, including over 1.2 1000 for political reasons: they were accused of sympathy for the West, but besides of inappropriate political origin or views. The people's homeland in a unusual way thanked Polish soldiers for their service, sacrifice and blood shed on the fronts of the most terrible of wars.
