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As a result from how World War I ended, the great empires Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Germany all fall apart, and such space was created that Poland could again be formed into the map of Europe. Some say that Pilsudski had foreseen the situation when saying that only way to have Poland in the map again is if both, Russia and Germany would lose the war, and since Russia and Germany were fighting the war in the opposite sides, Pilsudski continued that first Germany must knock-out Russia, and after this has happened, France must win Germany. And only this would create situation where Poland could re-emerge into the map. More or less so happened, and there was again Poland. But first of all there was the problem with borders, where were the borders of Poland supposed to be exactly? Poland started to solving itÂ’s border problems, and usually this didnÂ’t go peacefully. With Czechoslovakia there was dispute over small, but strategically important area in Cielzyn Silesia, this nearly ended up in fighting between Polish and Czechoslovak armies, but was solved by The League of Nations, and area was shared between the two sides. With German border Poland had extremely complex situation. First of all Gdansk/Danzig, important town at the Baltic shore with both Polish and German history was decided by The League of Nations to be Free City. In Silesia, there was voting on which state the area should belong to. The majority of people there were Poles and Polish-speaking Silesians, but German minority had usually higher social status and amongst them were many factory-owners. By using this position; German factory-owners demanding loyalty from their (mostly Polish) workers, German militia harassing and terrorizing pro-Polish gatherings, and this combined with the Polish peoples awareness of ongoing war with Soviet Russia, which many believed to end with Soviet victory over Polish army, worked in the way that in Polish-majority area the German-choise got majority of votes. This resulted with series of three Silesian Uprisings, which were success for the Poles, and Silesia was shared by the League of Nations Poles getting smaller but well-industrialized part of Silesia. This followed by Tariff war from Germany where it tried to use itÂ’s economical power and tried buy lands off from Poles in Silesia. Poles organized against this and German attempts went vain.

The most open case was the long border with Russia which was to be settled by war in 1920-21 (or 1919-1921 if counted to begin from the border-conflicts), in which Poland was the first to attack into East Ukrainian Socialist Republic ,and then world was holding it’s breath when Soviet counter-attack came quickly into the borders of Warsaw, only to meet with Pilsudski’s surprise. Battle of Warsaw got it’s place in modern Polish mythology as “Miracle of Vistula”. Preceding to this Poland also had victorious war with young, and short-lived, state of Republic of Western Ukraine over Eastern Galicia and town of Lwow (Lviv), which has special place for Poles in their Eastern Romanticism, as does Wilno (Vilnius) which was “liberated” by one of Pilsudski’s generals in a planned coup which was disguised as “rebellion”. Some say that Pilsudski wanted strong Lithuania, under Poland and his rule, against Soviet-Russia.

Domestically, Poland suffered from being now a state composed out of three different parts and three different histories, German/Prussian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian. Generally, the Eastern part of Poland which had been under Russian rule was the clearly least developed of these areas but which also composed of greatest land-mass, Westernmost Poland was more industrialized and developed and was known for German-style “good work” which was foreign to the mentality of East Poland. More than this, also Polish society was divided into two different views of what was Poland supposed to be like. Pilsudski, a former socialist, was supporting the idea of ‘Miedzymorze’, a multinational Poland, large in land-area. His nemesis, Roman Dmowski from the National Democratic party, drove idea of national Poland, smaller in land-area but ethnically much more homogenic (at the time every third citizen of Poland was not Polish) including only Poles and small amounts of other groups that he considered worthy and able to be Polonized (meaning small populations of Germans, Ukrainians and Belarusians, and no Jews which he considered as inner enemy to Poland). Pilsudski was to be the first president of Poland, but he was forced to resign from his post in 1922, his successor and candidate, Gabriel Narutowicz, was soon murdered by painter who had strong right-wing sympathies. The murderer, Eligiusz Niewiadomski, commented that he had nothing particular against the man himself but couldn’t stand the idea that he was “Jewish” president, as Narutowicz was supported not only by Pilsudski but also by Jewish organizations and other minorities as well. In 1926 Pilsudski made return by military-coup, from which on he continued as strongman behind the scenes (probably he saw himself as captain for the ship), driving semi-authoritarian policies called Sanation, “Healing”. Sometimes when feeling upset about the decisions done by Polish Sejm he, as cranky old man, told to the politicians that “You Poles are worthless, unlike we Lithuanians who at least know how to…”. His death in 1935 made way to more authoritarian Endecja-regime ruled by the National Democratic Party leaders who lacked Pilsudski’s sight and charisma. Anti-Semitism rose under Endecja-regime in 1935-39, and it took many elements from German Nazis anti-Semitism which radiated over borders, becoming more aggressive and Nazi-style law forbidding ritual slaughter was introduced to ruin Jewish economy. It was now view of many anti-Semites in Poland and other countries surrounding Nazi-Germany that if great culture-country such as Germany, which always had had relatively good relations with her own Jews, and where were one of the most assimilated Jews, and which culture was highly valued amongst the Jews themselves, now took actions like this against the Jews it couldn’t be totally morally wrong to take action against our own, generally less assimilated, Jews.

It is rumored that after HitlerÂ’s rise to power in January 1933 Pilsudski had offered France the idea for preventive war against new militaristic German regime, but that he didnÂ’t meet with interest from the French to join into his idea. Anyhow, in 1934 Poland and Germany signed Non-Aggression Pact, which led to continuous suggestions from Hitler to German-Polish alliance directed towards Soviet Union, which Pilsudski rationally declined.

Haluan paivittaa yhta vanhempaa kirjoitustani, ja tahdentaa Puolan valtion kaksijakoista reaktiota asiaan.


Jedwabne, the July of 1941

The Jedwabne massacre was massacre of Jewish Poles living in Jedwabne, small town in North-Eastern Poland, by their Catholic Polish neighbours. Although long assumed to have been a solely Nazi Einsazgruppen operation, it was committed directly by the Poles (within agreement or approval with the Germans). The Polish perpetrators went into the houses of their Jewish neighbours early in the morning and herded them into barn near the town that was then set in fire. Few Jews survived from this destiny for some good-hearted Catholic Poles who felt pity on them. Those Jedwabne Poles who didnÂ’t want to take part in forth-coming massacre went to work in the fields very early in morning. After the mass-murder of their neighbours the silence fell over Jedwabne. The Jewish neighbours were now gone, and so they were to be kept out of memory.


Memorial stones

Jewish victims memorial stone now lies in Jedwabne, it’s location is distant from the church. Catholic Poles memorial stone for those who were deported to the Siberia by the Soviets stands proudly close to church and holy ground. This reminds me of the situation at Ruovesi church (common example from Finland) and graveyard in central Finland where Finnish Civil War of 1918 memorial stones for both sides are located by similar way: next to church stands the stone of “the Whites” – the winning side -and at the graveyard next to field stands the stone of “the Reds” – the losing side. Then again similarity is that it took quite long time – many decades in both cases - to get any kind of memorial marking for these people. Now I ask why was that so in the case of Jedwabne and use Ruovesi example as comparison.

Distant Jewish memorial stone (unquestionable I think) shows them - the Jedwabne Jews – as different group, ‘the Other body’, within the social body of (local) community. At least this is the way that their memory is been constructed now that they are officially remembered. For the Finnish Reds they are simply referred as “For those who died for their conviction.” not as “For those who died for Fatherland and Freedom.” as memorials for the Whites state. So the Finnish case also refers to the Whites as “real Finns” and patriots, although it must be added that how the Reds memorial text is put is quite diplomatic way of remembrance – that can be done after all decades passed. Before this there has been many kinds of distortion of the memory. For the case of Jedwabne this distortion has been even worse.


Ways of remembering, ways of forgetting

The memory of the Jews was wiped out, in Jedwabne the complicity of townspeople was (is) one of the reasons that kept the collective forgetting working. Events of July of 1941 were never publicly spoken. (Also, it must be noted that most of the people in 2001 were not the same as people in 1941.) This reminds me of the case in Finland after the Civil War of 1918: many Reds, or “Reds”: usually people who were from non-landowning peasantry, were executed after the war and after these events the life did go on for the rest of the society. But there was atmosphere of silence between different people; it could be that in same community lived the executioners and the families of the executed. It took long time to heal the wounds.

Memorial stones around Poland remind people of massacres done by the Nazis, or as the stones call it – Hitler’s soldiers, or Germans, many times used with a small first letter to show certain attitude, which also was official policy after the war, towards this nation. The stones had and have a social function. By doing this the Peoples’ Republic of Poland gained permanent enemy to blame. Rarely the stones mention the names of the victims. This was also long the case of Jedwabne.

Neighbors (2001) a research book by half-Jewish American Polish scholar Jan T. Gross revealed the horrors of June of 1941 in Jedwabne to many Jews also. This started a huge discussion, specially in Poland. Jedwabne became kind of culmination point for the talk about the events that took place in 1941 in vast area from Estonia to Rumania which changed now from Soviet to German occupation. Many labeled Gross as anti-Polish, and he was accused by The Institute of National Remembrance for ”Slandering Polish nation”; Gross himself denies such an accusation, it seems to me that he wanted to make the Poles, who want to see themselves as nation of braveness and valour, also to look in to mirror about the cases when some of them were not acting so valorous. After the Gross’ book, happened the thing that many in Jedwabne had secretly feared – the Jews came back.

In the document by Slawomir Grunberg The Legacy of Jedwabne the saved Jedwabne Jews and their descendants come (back) to Jedwabne – not to claim back their property as many feared but to claim rightful memory for the event that took their families, friends and relatives. Naturally it was still not a meeting that would go without incidents.

The Jedwabne Poles who dared to remember were under social pressure and sometimes even under threat of violence. Common attitude was that ‘no good will come out of this’. The town priest with his story about the Nazi Einsazgruppen resembles the local truth of the event – the documentary informs that there is no historical evidence to back the priests’ story.

In the end of the document representatives of Polish state, namely former president of Poland, Alexander Kwasniewski, gave official regrets for the Jedwabne Jews and their descendants. For the Jedwabne people, still, the truth in the daylight is not easily taken. As the priest commented: “The Jews have their truth, and we have ours.”. But moreover, the priest have later paid (indirect) respects to the Jewish victims in one of his sermons. There are some cases when old dogs change habits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qndwKTkE7c "Sinulla oli monia rakastajia"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB6-dBqFl0U&NR=1 "Miksi?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct4fCc-mDGU "Punainen ja harmaanruskea"

Eilen illalla tuli mentya ulos ns. baarikierrokselle. Seurana olivat Maciek ja Tekin (Tekin on turkkilainen kaveri).

Carpe diem II-baarissa/klubilla Tekin tormasi kahteen turkkilaiseen, ja pian istuimme samassa poydassa. Nama turkkilaiset olivat juuri palanneet Lodzista ja kertoivat etta siella ei ollut liikaa englannin kielen taitoisia ihmisia, no onneksi miehet itse taisivat samanlaista vajokkipuolaa kuin mina, joten silla oli selvitty. Sitten keskustelu kaantyi kaikkien miesten yhteiseen lempiaiheeseen - naisiin.

Niputan nama kaksi turkkilaista nyt yhdeksi, silla en muista kumpi sanoi mitakin ja olivat tassa asiassa varsin samanmielisia:

Turkkilaiset: "I think in Finland girls are better than in Poland."
Mina: "I wouldn't say so."
T: "Really? Yes that's because you are from Finland."
T: "I think in Finland there is more blonds."
T: "Yes, blond is better."
T: "Don't you like blonds?"
M: "I do, but..."
T: "Yes you don't like because you are blond."
M: "????"
T: "I think Sweden has the best girls."
T: "Look there is blond girl sitting behind you."
M: "Yes, but I don't see her face."
T: "Are you gay?"

Taman jalkeen toinen uusista turkkilaisista tuttavuuksista yritti iskea takanani istunutta neitoa, aikeissaan epaonnistuen.

Toinen turkkilainen aloittaa uuden keskustelun.

T: "You know the Jews?"
M: "Yes. ..."
T: "You know that they try to rule the world?"
M: "..."
T: "Look at what they are doing now in Palestine."
M: "It's not that simple."

Taman jalkeen han katsoi minua oudoksuen ja keskustelu oli paattynyt.

Kiitos jumalalle etta tunnen useampia turkkilaisia kuin nama kaksi sankaria, muuten saattaisin olla tallahetkella taynna erinaisia ennakkoluuloja heita kohtaan.

Kun saat yhden turkkilaisen kaverin niin saatkin monta... Palautin tanaan aiemmin lainaamani kirjan talle turkkilaiselle tytolle, Arsulle. En tunne hanta kovin laheisesti mutta han pyysi jaamaan teelle, aluksi en meinannut jaada, minulla oli omat kauppatavarat odottelemassa huoneen lattialla, mutta sitten huomasin etta tytto oli melkein silmat kyynelissa, ja muutin mieleni. Han oli oikein mukava, kavi oikein naapurista lainaamassa sokeria minun teetani varten.

Ensin juttelimme niita naita, han kertoi etta on tekemassa taman lukukauden aikana yksitoista (!) kurssia, lukee paa-aineenaan englantilaista filologiaa ja nyt siina sivussa mm. puolaa. Ymmarrettavaa opiskelustressia ja koti-ikavaahan tassa oli ilmassa: han kaipasi kotoa perhettaan, ruokaa ja saata, ja jopa "niita huonoja asioita". Sitten han alkoi puhumaan siita kuinka ihmisilla taalla on ennakkoluuloja hanen uskontoaan (islam) kohtaan, ja kuinka Turkki on moniarvoinen yhteiskunta jossa hanella on kavereinaan muslimeja, kristittyja, ateisteja jne. Vierekkain han kulkee kavereittensa kanssa joista toisella on paassaan muslimihuivi ja toisella minihame, ja han kertoi taman moninaisuuden hanesta tekevan Turkista vain kauniimman. Kysyin onko hanen mielestaan Puola uskonnollisempi maa kuin Turkki (koska olin kuullut aiemmin turkkilaistenkin tata paivittelevan), ja han oli sita mielta etta kylla.

Taman jalkeen han kertoi viela veljensa ja taman kihlatun eronneen juuri ennen kuin heilla piti nyt olla haat tana kesana. Tama taisikin olla suurin syy hanen suruunsa, ja nyt han halusi olla kotonaan.

Voit vastata kylla, ei, tai jotain silta valilta mita tulee mieleen. (Etenkin Tyyran taytyy vastata.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK1VbLcmRXA jezyk roski

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs4rh2LqRmI "Mina haukka" jezyk polski

Ei paljon muuta yhteista musiikkityyleissa kun angstinen laulu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgaT51dMRyQ ("Koskaan et mitaan ymmarra")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S79wGcZyepU ("Vihreat silmat sulla on")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBGD2H1B14Q&feature=related (disco polo ruskie "Dziewczonka"-cover)

Tanaan olen vain hieronut kivia koneella. Tama johtuu pitkalti siita etta paikkoja kolottaa eilisen vuorenvalloitusretken jaljilta, tunnen itseni papparaiseksi jolle lahikaupassakaynti on vaikea logistinen operaatio. Toissailtana tuli juhlistettua tenttiviikon paatosta ja otettua hieman happaa, joten nukkumaan tuli mentya kolmelta. Aamulla oli sitten heratys 6.30 bussia varten enka myoskaan ollut valttynyt reippaan juomisen tuottamilta jalkioireilta, kuten tapanani on kun retkelle lahdetaan. Joten aamu ei ollut niita helpoimpia. (Idea vuorille lahtoon kehkeytyi vasta illan kuluessa.)

Aamubussilla Zakopaneen kahden ja puolen tunnin porays, ja sielta minibussilla vuorille aivan Slovakian rajan valittomimpaan laheisyyteen. Seuranani minulla oli oivat vuoristokonkarit Maciek ja Dobromir. Edessa oli reilu 30 kilometria patikointia ensin Morskie Okoon, joka on Tatra-vuorten syvin vuoristojarvi, ja nain ohimennen mainittuna henkeasalpaavan kaunis paikka. Sielta jatkoimme kapuamista kohti Rys-huippua niin korkealle kuin paasimme ilman kiipeilyvarusteita, vaikkakin eteneminen tassavaiheessa oli lahinna kiipeamista neljan raajan kanssa ylospain. Ja otti aika helvetin koville. Olin ajatellut aluksi ettei se vuorille meno niin paljon kummoisempaa ole kun jaksan metsassakin kulkea koko paivan. Olin vaarassa. Tama osoittautui olemaan raskain fyysinen koettelemus sitten luutnantti Kaasisen. Kaltevan pinnan ja lumen takia oli pidettava huomiokyky kokoajan terassa, ja kiivetessa hengastyminen tapahtui nopeasti. Myoskaan minkaanlaista putoamissuojaa ei ollut, joten se toi tahan urheiluun oman elementtinsa, etenkin kun en ole parhaimmillani korkealla maanpinnasta olevissa ymparistoissa.

Paasimme lopulta maaranpaahan, Rys-huipun (Puolan korkein piste, jonka takana Slovakia) juurelle noin 1800 metrin korkeuteen paikalle jossa oli jaissa oleva jarvi ja risti. Seka huikea nakoala. Siella sitten lounastimme viimeiset evassampylat kunnon tuulenvireen seurana ennen paluumatkaa. Kapuaminen alaspain oli huomattavasti nopeampaa mutta myoskin liukkaampaa. Hetken kuluttua takaani kuului tomahdys ja seuraavaksi Maciek liukui lunta pitkin alaspain, mutta sai nopeasti vauhtinsa pysaytetyksi. Han oli katsonut kannykkaansa, menettanyt huomiokykyaan ja suistunut sijoiltaan. Ja mika luonnollisesti tarkeinta, vaikka mies kaatuikin niin puhelin pysyi kokoajan kourassa.

Illalla takaisin Zakopaneen, siella maailmanparhaalle maistuvat possulautaselliset Okocim-oluella ja viimeisella bussilla paluu Krakovaan. Ei tarvinnut pyytaa unta tulemaan kun laittoi paan tyynyyn.

Morskie Oko, matkan ensimmainen etappi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morskie_oko
Ja sitten alkoi todellinen kiipeaminen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rysy

Valokuvia tiedossa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdPgF6trtjA&feature=fvsre2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident

Tapahtui lokakuussa 2007 Vancouverin lentoasemalla Kanadassa. Olin taannoin kiinnostunut aiheesta, mutta nyt tormasin sattumalta videoon Youtubessa surffatessani. 40-vuotias englantia puhumaton puolalainen rakennustyolainen Robert Dziekanski parahtaa, alkaa huutamaan "Pierdolic!" (fuck) ja heittelemaan tavaraa, mutta ilmeisesti ei hyokkaa kenenkaan paalle, odoteltuaan lentoasemalla kymmenen tuntia aitiaan.

Kielivaikeuksien takia mieheen ei saada yhteytta. Vartija haluaa lopettaa arvuuttelun siita mita kielta mies puhuu "He speaks Russian, and thats it.", jossa kohtaa repesin. Muuten ei sitten niin kauheasti naurattanutkaan.

Poliisi, esimies ja kolme alaista, saapuu paikalle ja yksi virka-asuinen hyppyritukka kysyy ensimmaisena esimiehelta "Can I taser him?" ja saa luvan. Sitten alkaa taser-iloittelu kun poliisit raiskyttavat miesta viisi kertaa taserilla. Lattialla satkyttelevaa Dziekanskia kasketaan laittamaan kadet niskan taakse. Sitten hanta sidotaan koko porukan voimin ja ilmeisesti siina lomassa han saa viela pari annosta taserista, ja kuolee. Cowboyt ja pyssyt.

Ensin poliisi takavarikoi kannykan jolla video kuvattiin ja palautti puhelin ilman korttia. Myohemmin kuvaaja sai korttinsa takaisin ja laittoi video Youtubeen. Poliisin tiedottaja ilmoittaa etta video on "vain yhden ihmisen nakemys tapahtuneesta".

Kolme poliiseista jatkaa normaalista paivatyossaan, esimies on hyllytettyna muihin virkarikkomuksiin liittyen. Voin kuvitella kuinka hyppyritukkainen poliisi menee kotiinsa tapauksen jalkeen, esittaa hyvaa miesta ja katumusta, menee sunnuntaina kirkkoon, ja yhteiso ja Jumala armahtaa hanet. Naitahan voi sattua kenelle tahansa, ja kaikki me tiedamme etta John on hyva jatka.

Kanada on purkanut Puolan ja Kanadan valisia sopimuksia siten etta Puolan poliisi ei voi suorittaa tutkintaa Kanadassa.

Jos haluat vahingoittaa lahimmaisia ilman seurauksia, ala jaakiekkoilijaksi tai jalkapalloilijaksi. Jos taas tykkaat tappamisesta, on poliisin ura hyva vaihtoehto, laki on puolellasi ja valta sinulla.

Alkuperainen kannykkakamera-video loytyy Youtuben Raw-osiosta.

Poland’s Soviet experience during the World War II begun with what Poles call “stab on the back”, on 17th September 1939 when Red Army joined the German Wehrmacht in invasion against Poland. Soviet propaganda spoke only of liberation of areas East to Curzon-line, which in fact were inhabited largely by other groups than Poles; Poland’s Eastern half was area governed by Poles but inhabited by mix of national groups: Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Jews, just to name the largest groups. What Soviets did not tell in their propaganda, however, was that Molotov-Ribbentrop –pact included secret additional protocol where Nazi-Germany and Soviet Union were agreed to divide spheres of influence in Eastern Europe; Poland was to be divided fifty-fifty, three small Baltic states, Finland and Bessarabia (part of Rumania) would also, according to this plan, fall under Soviet control.

Before this the Polish-Soviet relations were icy. There was history of Polish-Soviet war in 1920-1 and in Poland new Soviet Russia had very bad image in which traditional anti-Russia feelings now accompanied with anti-Bolshevism. Red terror rampaged in Russia, and new Soviet country fell in almost total isolation... and then this weird-bird outcast country eventually was to find itÂ’s partner in another powerful country which felt humiliation, Germany. Then, after the Soviet invasion to East Poland in September of 1939 there was practically no contacts.

Nazi-Germany and Soviet Union both started to conduct anti-Polish policies (and anti-Jewish policies, I would say also by the Soviets since one out of every three persons deported from East Poland in 1939-41 was Jewish, of which many were refugees from the West, and, ironically, many of their lives were saved by being deported to the East by the NKVD (Narodny Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del. – the powerful Soviet political police) so they never fell into the hands of Nazis), which included elimination of Polish intelligencia. Katyn is one example of this kind in which 20-thousand Polish reservist officers were shot to death by NKVD after their capitulation, crime that could have been done by the Nazis, as they did many, and as Soviet propaganda blamed after the Katyn findings in 1943, but which was done by Soviet hands; by doing Katyn killings they wanted to eliminate the potential leaders for opposition and resistance in the area. Case of Katyn remains as open wound in Polish-Russian relations till today.

Following to occupations, Polish government flew to France, and then to Britain, but also prominent Underground state was organized in Nazi occupied Poland (in Soviet occupied half the attempts to arrange this type of organization grew vain, largely cause of Poles made only one part of areas nationalities and, for example, Ukrainians and Belarusians had different objectives they wanted to achieve). The Polish Underground state was to come highly important source of information about Nazi plans for the Allies, it is said that 40% of all significant intelligence information that the Allied leadership received was gathered by Polish underground working in Poland risking their life.

Hitler’s attack on Soviet Union changed international situation and Stalin started to look for friends from countries and forces that opposed Hitler. In this point Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary of Britain, persuaded Polish Prime Minister Wladyslaw Sikorski to open negotiations with Soviet Union. 5th of July 1941 Sikorski opened negotiations with Soviet Union’s ambassador in London, Ivan Maisky, and in 30th of same month agreement was signed. A further military alliance was signed soon in Moscow in 14th of August. Soviet Union agreed to declare previous pacts with Germany now null and void, however, one of the most painful issues for the Poles, Soviet occupation in Eastern part of the country in 1939-41, was out of the desk (although theoretically invalidated as part of German-Soviet treaties). Stalin granted “amnesty” to thousands of Poles who had been deported into the depths of Soviet Union, often to Kazakhstan, and released tens of thousands Polish POW’s from Soviet prison camps, thus was so-called Anders Army created under the command of Polish general Wladyslaw Anders, it was 40-thousand strong fighting force which first moved to Iran (with some significant amount, 70-thousand Polish civilians), then Iraq (now that Poland is one of the countries fighting in Bush’ Coalition in Iraq, some Iraqis still remembered Polish presence from World War II, and were having positive disposition towards Poles) and Palestine to fight alongside with Western Allies forces against German and Italian forces in Egypt and finally in Italy. Fate of some 20-thousand missing Polish officers remained still in shadows until 1943.

In January 1942 Polish Communist Party is formed, by parachute-dropping forces from the Soviet Union, Polish communists trained in Moscow, to join with local factions. They set up Krajowa Rada Narodowa, led by Boleslaw Bierut, which was nucleosis for the coming Communist government. Then when Red Army marched over Curzon-line in the July of 1944 they declared Communist government (so-called “Lublin Poland”). On 21th July Moscow radio announces the establishment of the Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKWN).

On first of August 1944 Polish Home Army starts uprising at Warsaw, as a part of nationwide rebellion “Operation Tempest” against German occupation. Result to this, Home Army liberated many towns and also significant part of Warsaw. Objectives for Home Army action were naturally the liberation of Polish areas from German control, but also they had planned to establish Polish governing on the liberated towns before the Red Army would come. In many places so was done, but Soviets simply didn’t respect this and Polish officials were arrested by the NKVD. What happened in Warsaw was that Red Army didn’t simply take action to help the rising Poles, even when it was standing in the other side of Vistula, stopped from Moscow, waiting the Poles 63-day fight to be over, then watching the Germans obtilerate the city, and only then marching in as “liberators”. Only small help was given from the Soviet side to the Poles in Warsaw during the rising when troops from Stalin’s Polish 2nd Army crossed Vistula only to meet with German machine-gunfire when they got across. More than this, Stalin did not agree to let Allied planes to land on Soviet controlled zone when trying to drop aids to the Poles in Warsaw, so the pilots had to operate from Italy and fly to Poland and back over hostile enemy-held territories. Members of Home Army were hunted and arrested by Soviet officials, who then were, in the best case, annexed to Polish Communist army, or in worst case killed, as was destiny for the Home Army command which fell into Soviet hands. After the war was over Poland was basically in state of civil war, which had only one way to end.