War and Remembrance. Periodical of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk 2020 no. 2 — Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk

1940 – zapomniana wojna?

Richard J. Evans
University of Oxford

The public memory of World War II differs sharply between Eastern and Western Europe. For Poland in particular, 1939 stands out as the year in which Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union invaded the country, imposing a brutal and murderous occupation. As a result, the social and intellectual elites above all were targeted for extermination to rob any potential resistance of their leadership. While the Soviets aimed to create a Communist-style society, with state ownership of the economy, the Nazis regarded the Poles as racial inferiors, eventually planning to kill 80 to 85% in order to make way for German settlers. The Jews of Poland were exterminated in ghettos and camps as supposed agents of an international conspiracy to destroy Germany. While these policies were getting under way, 1940, when Germany and the Soviet Union were still allies, saw little military action in the region. Moreover, with Poland reeling from the shock of the invasions, there was little resistance in 1940, and even some collaboration, though it is important to remember that thousands escaped to fight in the Polish Armed Forces in the West organized by polish government and participate in the struggle against Hitler. In Western Europe, by contrast, 1940 was in some ways the most memorable year of the war, with Hitler’s conquest of France and other countries. The defeat of the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, under the inspirational leadership of Winston Churchill, has become central to British public memories of the war, playing a strong part in ideological justifications of Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

Keywords: Memory of the Second World War, Poland 1939, Soviet occupation, German occupation, Genocide, Annihilation, Resistance, Battle of Britain

„Podpalenie Europy” czy pełgający płomień zapałki? Wielka Brytania i polski ruch oporu w 1940 r

Jonathan Walker
University of Birmingham

This article by Jonathan Walker looks at the origins of English–Polish co-operation during the early months of the war and to what extent it benefited, or failed, the fledgling Polish Underground. After the outbreak of hostilities, Britain’s support for Poland was negligible despite the valuable contribution of Polish analysts towards the breaking of the German Enigma codes. The author examines the 1939 British Military Mission, which proved to be a fiasco, and he looks at the weak supply lines between the two countries, which were further disrupted the following year by the Nazi occupation of France and the Low Countries. Churchill’s attempt to support resistance in occupied Europe was then crystalized by the formation of the Special Operations Executive, but those charged with running the organization had conflicting views about its mission. The problems of early air bridges between Britain and Poland are explored, together with the difficulties of logistics and technical limitations. All this is set against the background of the evolving aims and strategy of the Polish Underground. When Churchill struck a match for resistance in 1940, did it just flicker in Poland, or did it burst into flame?

Keywords: Poland, Britain, The Second World War, Resistance

Stan osobowy wartowni nr 5 a pochówki przy willi oficerskiej na Westerplatte we wrześniu 1939 r. w świetle źródeł archiwalnych, wspomnień i relacji

Wojciech Samól
Muzeum II Wojny Światowej w Gdańsku

The article summarizes current research on the fallen Polish defenders of the Military Transit Depot at Westerplatte based on the headcount of guardhouse no. 5. In addition, the paper presents the latest data on the remains of Westerplatte soldiers found in 2019, together with preliminary findings related to the identification of the fallen shown in 2020.

Keywords:
Westerplatte, Personal losses, Fallen polish defenders of the military transit depot

Zapomniany niemiecki obóz Soldau (Działdowo) 1939−1945

Radosław Wiśniewski
Muzeum Pogranicza w Działdowie

The aim of this article is to recall the memory of the German camp Soldau, established on the Polish territory as early as the first month of the war. The camp operated between 1939–1945. After the war, the Russians organized there a transit point from which enemies of the communist system were sent to the labour camp deep into the USSR. The camp was finally liquidated at the end of October 1945.

Keywords:
Second World War, Soldau Camp, Działdowo, Memory

Doraźna praca czy przekwalifikowanie zawodowe? Z życia uchodźców polskich na terenie Francji w latach 1941–1944

Anna Pachowicz
Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa w Tarnowie

France is a country to which Poles have emigrated many times in history, for example, during the Second World War. The article presents the issue of employment, in particular reskilling of Poles living in the so-called unoccupied area of France with its capital in Vichy, based on the new French legislation adopted at that time. The structure of Polish emigration was not homogeneous and possible assistance varied depending on the needs of immigrants (e.g., open care vs closed care). The war, which lasted longer than expected, prompted refugees to change their lives. Work was supposed to make them more active and prevent their passive waiting, both for help from care organizations and for the end of the war.

Keywords:
Poles in France during the second world war, Society for the protection of Poles in France between 1941-1944, Reskilling

Poruszenie Warszawy ’43. Ludność Warszawy na ratunek polskim dzieciom wysiedlonym z Zamojszczyzny

Beata Kozaczyńska
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczo-Humanistyczny w Siedlcach

During the Second World War, Warsaw citizens went down in history by rescuing Polish children from the Zamość region – the youngest victims of the displacement and colonization activities by the Germans there. At the beginning of January 1943, rumors were circulating throughout occupied Warsaw about railroad transport with Polish children onboard who had been kidnapped from their parents in the Zamość region to be taken to an unknown destination. Many citizens became desperate to find the children. To do so people took turns to wait for them at railway stations with food, blankets, and warm clothes. They also crowded at the capital’s institutions and educational centers. Despite assurances from the Polish Welfare Committee in Warsaw about their readiness to act, many people continued to look for the children on their own. Announcements made by the occupational authorities denied the news of the alleged transports with children expelled from the Zamość region and, at the same time, threatened with severe penalties for its dissemination. The spontaneous
reaction of Warsaw citizens was later described in underground journals.

Keywords:
Warsaw, Displacement, Zamość Region, Second World War, Germany, Polish Children, Germanization, Extermination

Koniec wojny i początek nowej rzeczywistości. Nastroje, postawy oraz stosunek mieszkańców Chojnic i powiatu chojnickiego do reżimu komunistycznego w 1945 r.

Remigiusz Ławniczak
Instytut Pamięci Narodowej Delegatura w Bydgoszczy

The Red Army entered the Chojnice poviat between February–March 1945, which was enthusiastically received as it ended the German occupation. At that point, communist centers of power began to emerge, taking over the leading role. Also, repressions such as deportations to labor camps in the USSR began as well. Despite this, the population vigorously started rebuilding a broadly defined social, economic, and political life. This process was joined by pre-war civil servants, teachers, and former conspirators. Due to deteriorating living conditions like poor food supply, the residents were interested in politics and showed negative feelings about the regime. In fear of repressions, they only expressed resistance through gossiping. However, some of the population joined anti-communist underground activities. Moreover, Chojnice residents were known for practicing the Catholic religion and having a negative attitude towards the Germans and the so-called repatriates.

Keywords:
1945, Chojnice Poviat, Communism, Feeling, Social Resistance

Sprawozdanie z „Kongresu 108 błogosławionych męczenników II Wojny Światowej” – Muzeum II Wojny Światowej w Gdańsku, 11–12 grudnia 2019 r.

Jarosław Wąsowicz
Archiwum Salezjańskiej Inspektorii Pilskiej

Nowe, cenne spojrzenie na problem zbrodni katyńskiej. Uwagi na marginesie pracy Thomasa Urbana Katyń. Zbrodnia i walka propagandowa wielkich mocarstw (tłum. Ewa Ziegler-Brodnicka, Warszawa 2019, ss. 710)

Tadeusz Wolsza
Instytut Historii Polskiej Akademii Nauk

This review article discusses substantive content of Thomas Urban’s work. The author lists the main issues the historian has discussed: the German and the Soviet aggressions against Poland in 1939; the fate of the Polish prisoners of war in Soviet captivity; the executions of 1940 and the futile search for missing POWs from 1941 onwards; the German propaganda campaign after the discovery of the Katyn graves in 1943, taking into account Joseph Goebbels’ plans and the Western powers’ point of view, the attitudes of the Polish authorities and Poles in general towards the discovery of the graves in Katyn; the Soviet interpretation of the events with the revelations of Nikolai Burdenko Commission from 1944; the consequences for those who visited Katyn in 1943; the failure of the Soviets to prove their point and the failure of the Soviet propaganda campaign at Nuremberg in 1946; the stance of Western European countries and of the USA on the problem of the Katyn massacre after World War II; the Katyn massacre deception in Sovietized Central and Eastern Europe and the convoluted policies of the Soviet Union and Russia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The reviewer emphasizes that the work's value lies in its rich and varied source material. In conclusion, the author stresses that Thomas Urban's work fills a gap in Polish historiography.

Keywords:
Katyn, Burdenko Commission, Madden Commission, International Medical Commission, Nuermberg, Great Powers