The Issue of the Jewish Population This article presents the main courses of action taken by the security apparatus of the People’s Republic of Poland with regard to the Jewish population in 1944–1956. The background is an outline of the... more
The Issue of the Jewish Population
This article presents the main courses of action taken by the security apparatus of the People’s Republic of Poland with regard to the Jewish population in 1944–1956. The background is an outline of the post-war situation of Polish Jews and the evolution of the Communist government’s policy towards them: from quasi-autonomy to the abolition of Jewish institutions and the open struggle against Zionists. The security institutions were interested in Jews for a number of reasons, these were: Zionism, membership of illegal organisations (such as Zionist Revisionists or Agudat Israel), active socio political life, foreign contacts (from 1948, including contact with Israeli citizens), illegal emigration, suspected espionage activities, smuggling and speculation. In 1948, the political police also became
interested in the activities of the Israeli diplomatic mission in Warsaw. The authors have attempted to recreate the structures of the Ministry of Public Security, both at the central and the local level, which were responsible for the surveillance of the Jewish population. The paper also raises the issue of officers of Jewish descent employed in the security authorities. The results of the authors’ research indicate that the Security Office monitored at least 20 per cent of people in the Jewish circles of the post-war Poland and recorded their data. Generally, the cases investigated by the security authorities did not entail open repression until 1948. This started alongside the struggle against Zionism, and in terms of the judiciary it affected dozens of people.
This article presents the main courses of action taken by the security apparatus of the People’s Republic of Poland with regard to the Jewish population in 1944–1956. The background is an outline of the post-war situation of Polish Jews and the evolution of the Communist government’s policy towards them: from quasi-autonomy to the abolition of Jewish institutions and the open struggle against Zionists. The security institutions were interested in Jews for a number of reasons, these were: Zionism, membership of illegal organisations (such as Zionist Revisionists or Agudat Israel), active socio political life, foreign contacts (from 1948, including contact with Israeli citizens), illegal emigration, suspected espionage activities, smuggling and speculation. In 1948, the political police also became
interested in the activities of the Israeli diplomatic mission in Warsaw. The authors have attempted to recreate the structures of the Ministry of Public Security, both at the central and the local level, which were responsible for the surveillance of the Jewish population. The paper also raises the issue of officers of Jewish descent employed in the security authorities. The results of the authors’ research indicate that the Security Office monitored at least 20 per cent of people in the Jewish circles of the post-war Poland and recorded their data. Generally, the cases investigated by the security authorities did not entail open repression until 1948. This started alongside the struggle against Zionism, and in terms of the judiciary it affected dozens of people.
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A b s t r a c t: The article deals with the subject of illegal emigration of Jews from Poland in 1944–1947 presented in the broad international context. Underground emigration of Jews after the war had turned into an organised effort... more
A b s t r a c t: The article deals with the subject of illegal emigration of Jews from Poland in 1944–1947 presented in the broad international context. Underground emigration of Jews after the war had turned into an organised effort (Bricha) that in actual fact covered the whole Europe. The action was carried out against the British who, from 1920 on, ruled Palestine under a mandate and limited Jewish immigration, introducing specifi c quotas. The Middle East was the main destination of Jews. It has been estimated that, by the end of 1947, ca. 250 thousand Jews left Central Eastern Europe, including 140 thousand Jews from Poland. K e y w o r d s: illegal Jewish emigration, Jews in Poland after WWII, Great Britain, Palestine, communist policy towards Jews.
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Article from: Pomiędzy ideologia i socjotechniką. Kwestia mniejszości narodowych w działalności władz komunistycznych - doświadczenie polskie i środkowoeuropejskie, red. M. Semczyszyn, J. Syrnyk, Wrocław-Szczecin-Warszawa 2014 r. The... more
Article from: Pomiędzy ideologia i socjotechniką. Kwestia mniejszości narodowych w działalności władz komunistycznych - doświadczenie polskie i środkowoeuropejskie, red. M. Semczyszyn, J. Syrnyk, Wrocław-Szczecin-Warszawa 2014 r.
The paper looks into the issue of illegal emigration of Jewish population from Poland between 1944 and 1947. It was a part of a larger-scale phenomenon – illegal Jewish emigration (the so-called Bricha) from Central and Eastern Europe to Palestine. It was caused by Zionist agitation, anti-Semitism and the emigration quotas imposed by Great Britain exercising the Palestine Mandate. In Poland, illegal immigration was organized by Zionists from the Zionist Coordination. The paper describes how immigrants crossed the border and portrays members of the Bricha organization. It discusses attitudes of the authorities and steps taken by the security service in response to this issue. Unofficially, the communist authorities supported this emigration. This is why border crossings were opened secretly in July 1946 after the Kielce Pogrom. In a wider context, this favourable attitude of the authorities was in line with the policy of the USSR towards the Jewish issue in Palestine. The authorities in the Kremlin hoped that a pro-Soviet state would come into existence in the Middle East. With the silent consent of the authorities, the Bricha movement spread on a massive scale. By 1947, about 140 000 Jews left Poland illegally. In 1947, the borders were closed, as the authorities feared the reaction of the British diplomacy. Due to a shift in the attitude of the USSR towards the newly established state of Israel, illegal emigration of Jews from Poland became a taboo topic. In 1948, some of the Zionists who were formerly involved in the Zionist Coordination were repressed by the Office of Public Security (UB).
The paper looks into the issue of illegal emigration of Jewish population from Poland between 1944 and 1947. It was a part of a larger-scale phenomenon – illegal Jewish emigration (the so-called Bricha) from Central and Eastern Europe to Palestine. It was caused by Zionist agitation, anti-Semitism and the emigration quotas imposed by Great Britain exercising the Palestine Mandate. In Poland, illegal immigration was organized by Zionists from the Zionist Coordination. The paper describes how immigrants crossed the border and portrays members of the Bricha organization. It discusses attitudes of the authorities and steps taken by the security service in response to this issue. Unofficially, the communist authorities supported this emigration. This is why border crossings were opened secretly in July 1946 after the Kielce Pogrom. In a wider context, this favourable attitude of the authorities was in line with the policy of the USSR towards the Jewish issue in Palestine. The authorities in the Kremlin hoped that a pro-Soviet state would come into existence in the Middle East. With the silent consent of the authorities, the Bricha movement spread on a massive scale. By 1947, about 140 000 Jews left Poland illegally. In 1947, the borders were closed, as the authorities feared the reaction of the British diplomacy. Due to a shift in the attitude of the USSR towards the newly established state of Israel, illegal emigration of Jews from Poland became a taboo topic. In 1948, some of the Zionists who were formerly involved in the Zionist Coordination were repressed by the Office of Public Security (UB).
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An article from: Polish Biographical Studies” 2014, nr 2, s. 93˗112.
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The article discusses the short history of the Jewish community in Szczecin after the Second World War and describes places in the city related to Jews
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The article focuses on previously unknown topic about jurisprudence Military District Court in Szczecin in relation to persons of Ukrainian origin. Its basis is a query carried out in inventory of the Military District Prosecutor's... more
The article focuses on previously unknown topic about jurisprudence Military District Court in Szczecin in relation to persons of Ukrainian origin. Its basis is a query carried out in inventory of the Military District Prosecutor's Office (WPR) and the Military District Court (WSR) in Szczecin, stored in the Archives of the Institute of National Remembrance Branch in Szczecin. An author determined list of 88 Ukrainians judged by the WSR in Szczecin in the years 1947-1955 on the basis of preserved lawsuits. Thanks to the query in the preserved materials, it was possible to sketch the preliminary statistical image of the convicts. The article includes the analysis of data such as age, sex, place of origin, place of residence in Western Pomerania, the basis of accusation and the penalty. Four cases of persons sentenced to death were also described. An annex was drawn up to the text, which contains a list of 88 Ukrainians tried by WSR in Szczecin.
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The article was published on: Sowieci a polskie podziemie 1943-1946, red. Ł. Adamski, G. Hryciuk, G. Motyka, Warszawa 2017.
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Українці заарештовані органами Управління громадської безпеки на Західному Поморії та засуджені Військовим районним судом у Щеціні 1947-1955 Ukrainians arrested by the Office of Public Security in Western Pomerania region and convicted... more
Українці заарештовані органами Управління громадської безпеки на Західному Поморії та засуджені Військовим районним судом у Щеціні 1947-1955
Ukrainians arrested by the Office of Public Security in Western Pomerania region and convicted by the Military District Court in Szczecin 1947-1955
Ukrainians arrested by the Office of Public Security in Western Pomerania region and convicted by the Military District Court in Szczecin 1947-1955
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The article summarizes three popular narratives on the history of Lviv. The research methodology involved consultation of the city guides published in the twentieth century: Polish, Ukrainian and the Soviet ones. This article attempts to... more
The article summarizes three popular narratives on the history of Lviv. The research methodology involved consultation of the city guides published in the twentieth century: Polish, Ukrainian and the Soviet ones. This article attempts to discuss how the official memory of the same buildings, characters/personalities and events changed over time.
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An article from the book: Pion walki z podziemiem niepodległościowym RBP/MBP 1944–1954, red. Tadeusz Ruzikowski, Warszawa 2016
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Article from a book: PRL a wojna domowa w Grecji, red. Magdalena Semczyszyn, Szczecin 2016 (Polish version)
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Article from a book: PRL a wojna domowa w Grecji, red. Magdalena Semczyszyn, Szczecin 2016 (Polish version)
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Article from a book: The Polish People's Republic and the Greek Civil War, edited by Magdalena Semczyszyn, Szczecin 2016
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Article from a book: The Polish People's Republic and the Greek Civil War, edited by Magdalena Semczyszyn, Szczecin 2016
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An article from the book: Lewica polska. Koncepcje – ludzie – działalność, pod red. E. Krasuckiego, T. Sikorskiego i A. Wątora, Wrocław 2012, t. II, s. 45−62.
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Article from a book: Giedroyc a Ukraina. Ukraińska perspektywa Jerzego Giedroycia i środowiska paryskiej "Kultury", red. M. Semczyszyn, M. Zajączkowski, Warszawa-Lublin-Szczecin 2014 r.
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An article from the book: Obywatelki na obcasach. Kobiety w życiu publicznym (XIX-XXI w.), t. 1, red. U. Kozłowska, T. Sikorski, A. Wątor, Radzymin-Warszawa 2016, s. 393˗412
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An article from the book: Postscriptum. Wielka Wojna – ważne sprawy – zwykli ludzie, red. A. Zawiszewska, Sz. P. Kubiak, Szczecin 2015. The paper looks into the issue of Great War in Galicia – one of the provinces of the Austro-Hungarian... more
An article from the book: Postscriptum. Wielka Wojna – ważne sprawy – zwykli ludzie, red. A. Zawiszewska, Sz. P. Kubiak, Szczecin 2015.
The paper looks into the issue of Great War in Galicia – one of the provinces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Galicia was inhabited by Poles, Rusyns (Ukrainians), Jews and other nationalities. Poles dominated in Western Galicia, while Ukrainians were the majority in the eastern part of the land. There was a conflict between the two nations which increased during the war. Russia was interested in capturing the eastern part of the territory. Russian army occupied Galicia in the years 1914−1915. After that, Austro-Hungarians returned and begun the policy of terror towards Galicians. Galicia was the theater of the war. People have suffered as a result of fighting, famine, epidemics and poverty. They were also sent to prisons and camps. The end of the war brought the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and rebirth of independent Poland. It is very interesting that nowadays in the collective memory of Poles, Ukrainians and other nationalities Galicia operates as a positive and sentimental myth.
The paper looks into the issue of Great War in Galicia – one of the provinces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Galicia was inhabited by Poles, Rusyns (Ukrainians), Jews and other nationalities. Poles dominated in Western Galicia, while Ukrainians were the majority in the eastern part of the land. There was a conflict between the two nations which increased during the war. Russia was interested in capturing the eastern part of the territory. Russian army occupied Galicia in the years 1914−1915. After that, Austro-Hungarians returned and begun the policy of terror towards Galicians. Galicia was the theater of the war. People have suffered as a result of fighting, famine, epidemics and poverty. They were also sent to prisons and camps. The end of the war brought the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and rebirth of independent Poland. It is very interesting that nowadays in the collective memory of Poles, Ukrainians and other nationalities Galicia operates as a positive and sentimental myth.
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Article from: "Historia Slavorum Occidentis" 2014, nr 1(4), pp. 43-71.
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An article from: „Litopys. Studia i materiały Ukraińskiego Towarzystwa Historycznego w Polsce” 2013, nr 3, s. 5˗21.
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Combat Troop of the Army (BOA) was one of the most well-known conspiracy organizations operating in Westpomeranian Region after the 2. World War. The BOA’ soldiers came from the former eastern lands of Poland – the District of Wołkowysk.... more
Combat Troop of the Army (BOA) was one of the most well-known conspiracy organizations operating in Westpomeranian Region after the 2. World War. The BOA’ soldiers came from the former eastern lands of Poland – the District of Wołkowysk. During the war they fought in the structures of the Home Army. In 1945 managed to move across the Curzon Line and joined the anti-communist underground structures of the command of the “Freedom and Independence” in Bialystok. Soldiers lived in Bobolice – small town near Koszalin. In 1946 they started cooperation with the soldiers of the Home Army 5th Wilno Brigade commanded by major Zygmunt Szendzielarz, nom de guerre "Łupaszko". Together they conducted several dozen successful combat missions against the UB (Office of Security) and the MO (People’s Militia). They also performed expropriation actions and executed informers of the UB. The article presents these actions as well as the further fate of the soldiers.
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An article for the general public on the deportation of Tatars from the Crimea in 1944 by the Soviet authorities
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Leon Suchocki "Lwiątko" (1922-1948) - żołnierz ZWZ-AK w Grodnie (Obwód nr 13 AK Grodno Prawy Niemen) oraz AKO i WiN na Białostocczyźnie. Skazany na karę śmierci przez WSR w Szczecinie, stracony 7 kwietnia 1948 r.
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In tha article is described the activity of the Polish Security Service during the pope's visit to Szczecin in the year 1987.
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Book Galicyjskie wybory. Działalność Centralnego Komitetu Wyborczego dla Galicji Wschodniej w latach 1867-1906, Warszawa 2014 (Wydawnictwo Sejmowe)
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The book looks at different types of memory: historical, social, individual, official, nationalized, appropriated and forbidden, condemned and controversial. The authors show various examples of damnatio memoriae ("condemnation of... more
The book looks at different types of memory: historical,
social, individual, official, nationalized, appropriated and forbidden, condemned and controversial. The authors show various examples of
damnatio memoriae ("condemnation of memory"), giving their reasons, try to recreate at the same time
processes of change, manipulation and displacement from undesirable collective memory
events, heroes or symbols.
social, individual, official, nationalized, appropriated and forbidden, condemned and controversial. The authors show various examples of
damnatio memoriae ("condemnation of memory"), giving their reasons, try to recreate at the same time
processes of change, manipulation and displacement from undesirable collective memory
events, heroes or symbols.
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Kolejny tom wspólnej polsko-ukraińskiej serii wydawniczej "Polska i Ukraina w latach trzydziestych-czterdziestych XX wieku. Nieznane dokumenty z archiwów służb specjalnych" jest poświęcony tzw. operacji polskiej, przeprowadzonej przez... more
Kolejny tom wspólnej polsko-ukraińskiej serii wydawniczej "Polska i Ukraina w latach trzydziestych-czterdziestych XX wieku. Nieznane dokumenty z archiwów służb specjalnych" jest poświęcony tzw. operacji polskiej, przeprowadzonej przez sowieckie organy bezpieczeństwa w USRS w latach 1937-1938. Publikowane dokumenty ukazują prowadzone w latach 1935-1939 pod rządami ludowych komisarzy spraw wewnętrznych Ukrainy: Wsiewołoda Balickiego, Izraiła Leplewskiego oraz Aleksandra Uspienskiego antypolskie działania, które faktycznie przerodziły się w czystkę etniczną. Jak potwierdzają źródła archiwalne, nie istniała wówczas żadna sfera życia społeczeństwa, w której bezpieka sowiecka nie dopatrywałaby się "polskich agentów". Publikacja składa się z dwóch części. W pierwszej zamieszczono 97 dokumentów pochodzących z archiwum Służby Bezpieczeństwa Ukrainy. Dotyczą one m.in. zwalczania przez sowiecki aparat bezpieczeństwa tzw. polskiego szpiegostwa, tj. domniemanych i faktycznych działań Oddziału II Sztabu Głównego WP na sowieckiej Ukrainie, deportacji z pasa przygranicznego Polaków i Niemców do Kazachstanu oraz działań w ramach tzw. operacji polskiej. W części drugiej opublikowano 106 dokumentów z archiwum SBU.
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Autorzy artykułów zawartych w tomie starali się dokonać systematyzacji badań nad miejscem polskiej myśli zachodniej w refleksji politycznej, polityce państwowej oraz historiografii PRL.
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Książka zawiera 83 dokumenty wytworzone przez Wydziały IV i V WUSW w Szczecinie oraz MSW w Warszawie dotyczące przygotowań i przebiegu wizyty w Szczecinie papieża Jana Pawła II podczas pielgrzymki w 1987 r. Materiały zawierają informacje... more
Książka zawiera 83 dokumenty wytworzone przez Wydziały IV i V WUSW w Szczecinie oraz MSW w Warszawie dotyczące przygotowań i przebiegu wizyty w Szczecinie papieża Jana Pawła II podczas pielgrzymki w 1987 r. Materiały zawierają informacje o sytuacji w relacjach państwo-Kościół na Pomorzu Zachodnim.