Aquila Polonica - Poland WW2

10/23/2023

October 23, 1941: The British 8th Army clashes with Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps and his Italian Allies at the Second Battle of El Alamein, a decisive Allied victory achieved with the help of a new Polish device.

Winston Churchill later stated “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.” Though no Polish Army units participated in the battle (Polish II Corps had not yet been created and the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade was fighting in Tobruk), Polish forces aided the 8th Army through a new invention: a handheld portable mine detector.

The mine detector was in development before WWII, but was not finished by the 1939 invasion of Poland. However, Lieutenant Jozef Kosacki finished work on the detector in England near the end of 1941. 500 mine detectors were built and rushed to El Alamein just in time for the battle, where they doubled the speed at which British engineers could clear German minefields.

Over the course of the war, several hundred thousand Polish mine detectors were built and deployed with Allied forces. This type of mine detector was still used by the British Army as late as 1995.

Picture: South African engineers clearing a minefield at the Second Battle of El Alamein, using a Polish mine detector.

10/21/2023

October 21, 1907: 303 Squadron Ace Ludwik Paszkiewicz is born in Wola Galezowska, Poland.

By 1939, Paszkiewicz was a career officer in the Polish Air Force. He was not able to see combat during the Russo-German invasion of Poland, as he had been sent on a mission to France in August of 1939. He fought during the Fall of France in 1940, and afterwards was evacuated to Great Britain along with many other Polish airmen.

Once he arrived in Britain, Pazkiewicz was posted as one of the original pilots to 303 Squadron. Pazkiewicz was appointed commander of B Flight of the squadron, and scored the squadron’s first kill, even before the squadron became active (the Poles stumbled upon German planes during a training exercise on August 30). Over the month of September 1940, during the Battle of Britain, Pazkiewicz shot down five more German planes and achieved the status of ace.

However, on September 27, Paszkiewicz was shot down and killed. He was honored with the Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari, and is buried at Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex.

Information from our book "303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron" by Arakdy Fiedler, written during World War II about the top scoring fighter squadron of the Battle of Britain made up of Polish pilots. Available here:
https://www.amazon.com/303-Squadron-Legendary-Britain-Fighter/dp/1607720051

10/20/2023

"Memorial events are scheduled to be held in Poland on Thursday to pay tribute to Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Roman Catholic priest who was killed by communist secret police in the 1980s.

"October 19 marks 39 years since Popiełuszko, a staunch supporter of Poland’s Solidarity freedom movement, was brutally murdered at the age of 37.

"Popiełuszko strongly supported Poland’s Solidarity trade union in the 1980s, serving as chaplain to workers at a Warsaw steel mill in 1980 and 1981."

A true hero who strived for a free and democratic Poland, read his story and about these memorial events at Polskie Radio:

Memorial events are scheduled to be held in Poland on Thursday to pay tribute to Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Roman Catholic priest who was killed by communist secret police in the 1980s.

10/19/2023

"A LOST N**i tank has been dragged from its watery grave after nearly 80 years, revealing the only surviving Panzer of its kind in the world.

"For decades, local legend said that the N**is lost several tanks retreating across the Czarna Nida river near Bieleckie Młyny, southern Poland, in 1945.

"The legends were proved true when two incomplete Panzers were dragged from the river in 1990 and 2003 respectively, but still the stories said there was another.

"Now that vehicle has been found too, with history buffs unearthing a unique Bergepanther – a tank that tows tanks – which may be the last of its kind."

A very rare find in southern Poland, learn more about it and the history behind its recovery at the Daily Express:

Two tanks were rescued from the river in 1990 and 2003, and now a third has been uncovered.

10/18/2023

"The Polish Wings Heritage trail project 'For Your Freedom and Ours' is being delivered at 2349 Squadron (Ballymena) in the Ballymena Army Reserve Centre.

"The campaign focuses on the history of the Polish Air Force in the Second World War, as well as the Polish military presence in Northern Ireland during that period.

"The programme is being delivered by Maciek Bator to around 80 cadets who will also have the chance to learn about the impact of the conflict on Poland and the Polish people and the tragic history of the German concentration camps."

This sounds like a great project, keeping an eye on it! Full details at the Ballymena Guardian:

A new shared history campaign involving Air, Sea and Army Cadets from Ballymena and Cullybackey has been officially launched. The Polish Wings Heritage trail project 'For Your Freedom and Ours' is being delivered at 2349 Squadron (Ballymena) in the Ballymena Army Reserve Centre.

10/17/2023

"Poland’s president has thanked compatriots for voting in large numbers in Sunday’s parliamentary elections and said that the results of the vote should be announced by noon on Tuesday.

"Duda stated: 'Democracy in Poland is stable. I thank everyone for taking responsibility and for taking part in this big event, in yesterday’s parliamentary elections, which were a big success.'

"He noted that voter turnout, at almost 73 percent, according to an updated exit poll, 'was huge,' the biggest since Poland regained independence in 1989."

Such a huge turnout! Full story at Polskie Radio:

Poland’s president has thanked compatriots for voting in large numbers in Sunday’s parliamentary elections and said that the results of the vote should be announced by noon on Tuesday.

10/16/2023

"Memorial events in Poland and abroad have paid tribute to John Paul II, the late Polish-born pope who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005.

"Monday marks 45 years since Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyła was elected Pope John Paul II.

"The late pontiff was a strong supporter of Poland's anti-communist Solidarity movement. He is recognised as a key influence in helping to end communist rule in Poland in 1989."

Read the full story at Polskie Radio:

Memorial events in Poland and abroad have paid tribute to John Paul II, the late Polish-born pope who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005.

10/14/2023

October 14, 1943: Prisoners of the German Sobibór extermination camp rise up against their oppressors, killing 11 SS officers and allowing 300 prisoners to escape.

The Sobibór extermination camp was built by German occupation forces in Poland during World War II as part of Hi**er’s Final Solution. Though not as large as camps like Auschwitz or Treblinka, it is estimated that 250,000 Jews from all across Europe and 1,000 non-Jewish Poles were killed at Sobibór.

Polish born Leon Feldhendler and Soviet POW Alexander Pechersky organized the revolt. They planned to covertly kill a number of SS guards, seize weapons from the camp arsenal, and then fight their way out of the main camp gate. The prisoners successfully killed SS officers and a number of guards, but were unable to seize the arsenal. Despite their lack of weapons, around 300 of the 600 camp prisoners managed to escape into the forest.

Many prisoners were recaptured in the following days, but some evaded capture by going into hiding or joining bands of Polish partisans. 50 to 70 escapees survived the war. After the uprising and escape, the camp was completely dismantled. Heinrich Himmler ordered trees planted on site to hide the location. Just last month, the remains of the gas chambers for the Sobibór extermination camp were unearthed by archeologists.

10/13/2023

"As night fell across the war-torn streets of the Polish capital Warsaw, Barbara Zawisza prepared to meet the man who would kill her.

"As an intelligence agent with one of Poland's resistance groups, Zawisza - whose real name was Irena Illakowicz - already knew she was in danger.

"But the meeting, she said, was too important to avoid. Years later, when the war was but a distant memory, her former husband recalled her anxiety but also her stubbornness.

"In many respects, Illakowicz - nee Morzycka - was born to be a spy."

A great read at the Daily Mail about the story and wartime career of Irena Illakowicz, whose life was full of daring adventures:

Irena Illakowicz was a member of Poland's Zwiazek Jaszczurczy resistance movement. She was shot dead after meeting with an unknown man in October 1943.

10/12/2023

An excellent read on the amazing but tragic life of Janusz Kusociński: Olympic champion, Polish patriot and World War 2 resistance fighter.

"In the spring of 1940, N**i officials launched AB-Aktion (Ausserordentliche Befriedungsaktion, or 'Extraordinary Pacification Action'), the second phase of a systematic campaign to eliminate intellectuals, politicians, clergy, and other influential leaders in German-occupied Poland. Those the N**is targeted were either placed in concentration camps or murdered by paramilitary death squads at secret locations. One series of mass executions took place in a secluded forest near the small village of Palmiry. The dead included Janusz Kusociński—an Olympic hero, decorated soldier, and national icon.

"Janusz Tadeusz Kusociński was born on January 15, 1907, in Warsaw. Armed conflict would take a heavy toll on his family, beginning with his oldest brother, Zygmunt, who was killed in France during World War I. Another brother died in the Polish-Bolshevik War in 1920. Young Janusz showed early potential on the football pitch and also excelled at palant, a popular bat-and-ball sport similar to baseball. His athleticism continued to develop after he joined the sports club RKS Sarmata, where he picked up the nickname 'Kusy,' but after falling behind in school, his father sent him to the State Secondary School of Horticulture so he could learn a trade as a gardener."

Full read at HistoryNet:

Janusz Kusociński joined the Polish Resistance and paid the price.

10/11/2023

"DETAILS of the funeral of Isle of Wight resident and Polish war hero, Col Otton Hulacki, have been announced.

"Col Hulacki died at his home in Wootton on September 25, aged 101.

"His funeral mass will be held at St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church, Cowes, at 1pm on Wednesday, November 15.

"A private committal will follow at the Isle of Wight Crematorium, Whippingham.

"For his allied war service, he recieved the Polish Army Medal, the Monte Cassino Cross, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-45.

Learn more about Colonel Otton Hulacki funeral here:
https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/23831880.funeral-details-isle-wight-war-hero-announced/

If you would like to learn more about Colonel Otton Hulacki's life and achievements, read here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-66972276

The funeral details of an Isle of Wight resident and war hero have been announced.

10/10/2023

"Marking 150-years since his death, a corner of Poznań will tonight explode into a sea of light and colour as it celebrates the extraordinary life of the explorer, scientist and humanitarian Paweł Edmund Strzelecki.

"Sometimes ranked alongside Chopin and Maria Skłodowska-Curie as one of the greatest Poles of the 20th century, this evening will see Plac Kolegiacki transformed courtesy of a 3D mapping audio-visual event titled 'What did Paweł Edmund Strzelecki see?'

"The answer, quite simply, is a lot. Born in 1797 in Głuszyna, a small town outside Poznań, he left school without ever matriculating and served fleetingly in the 6th Regiment of the Thuringian Uhlans."

Read more about the astounding life of Paweł Edmund Strzelecki and how his homeland is currently celebrating this anniversary at The First News:

Marking 150-years since his death, a corner of Poznań will tonight explode into a sea of light and colour as it celebrates the extraordinary life of the explorer, scientist and humanitarian Paweł Edmund Strzelecki.

10/08/2023

October 8, 1942: Polish AK (Armia Krajowa) saboteurs blow up six different railway lines near the Vistula River in a major operation, codenamed Wieniec (Corona). All train traffic through the city of Warsaw is halted for most of the day, crippling the German supply line.

During the night of October 7/8, 40 Poles infiltrated down either side of the Vistula River. They broke up into 8 separate teams (including an all-female team led by one Atonina Mijal) and destroyed all 6 targets within three hours. The raid was pulled off so quickly, that all 40 resistance fighters were able to escape before any sign of German resistance arrived.

Railway lines and trains were popular targets for Polish saboteurs, since vital German reinforcements and supplies heading towards the war with Russia had to pass through Poland.

10/07/2023

October 7, 1914: Josef Frantisek, Czech national and 303 Squadron ace, was born.

Frantisek joined the Polish Air Force after Czechoslovakia was occupied by N**i Germany in 1939. After the invasion of Poland and the evacuation to France, Josef Frantisek chose to continue service with the Polish Air Force rather than join a new unit of Czechoslovakian exiles. It is rumored that Frantisek saw extensive combat during the Battle of France, but no official records of his actions during the campaign have been recovered.

During the Battle of Britain, Frantisek was one of the original pilots of 303 Squadron. In September 1940, he shot down a staggering 17 confirmed German aircraft in just one month. He was one of the highest scoring aces of the Battle of Britain, but died on October 8, 1940 in an aerial accident.

He is buried at Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex. Frantisk was honored with the Polish Silver Cross, the Virtuti Militari, the Polish Cross of Valor with two bars, the Czechoslovak War Cross, and the British Distinguished Flying Medal for his heroic service.

A biography of Frantisek by Jiri Rajlich was published in English in 2010 under the title “Hurricane Ace Josef Frantisek-The True Story.”

Info from the appendices of our book "303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron," written by Arkady Fiedler during World War II and still in print today and available here:
https://www.amazon.com/303-Squadron-Legendary-Britain-Fighter/dp/1607720051

10/06/2023

"The world's oldest time capsule has been discovered in the small western town of Wschowa.

"The capsule, which is made of copper and dates back to 1726, was found brimming with treasures in the sphere of the tower at the Church of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr during renovations.

"The slice of history, the discovery of which was announced on Wednesday, is made up of two caskets.

"The main one has the date 1726 clearly stamped on it and contains four packages, the original from 1726 and three others which were added in 1786, 1884 and 1914."

A fascinating discovery, read about its contents and how it fits into history at The First News:

The world's oldest time capsule has been discovered in the small western town of Wschowa.

10/05/2023

"A powerful outdoor exhibition entitled 'Two Wars - One Suffering' has opened in the heart of Berlin, connecting a brutal chapter from World War II to contemporary agonies.

"Displaying letters from prisoners of a N**i concentration camp for Polish children, as well as those of Ukrainian children caught in the middle of Russia’s invasion, the exhibition stirs memories and conscience, standing poignantly in proximity to the windows of German politicians, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

"Poland's ambassador to Germany, Dariusz Pawłoś, remarked during the opening: 'I'm glad that this exhibition is right in front of the German politicians’ windows. It shows both the current suffering of Ukrainian children and the suffering of Polish children during World War II.'"

Read the full story on this exhibit at Polskie Radio:

A powerful outdoor exhibition entitled "Two Wars - One Suffering" has opened in the heart of Berlin, connecting a brutal chapter from World War II to contemporary agonies.

10/04/2023

"In a significant cultural restitution effort, Poland has successfully recovered three valuable artworks, including two 18th-century watercolors by Zygmunt Vogel, which went missing during World War II, the country's culture minister has said during a visit to the United States.

"Before the outbreak of World War II, these artworks had been part of the private collection of Count Edward Raczyński in Warsaw. In 1939, they were among many art pieces deposited at the National Museum in Warsaw to protect them from plunder.

"However, despite these efforts, the watercolors were lost during the war.

"In 2008, they resurfaced at an auction, where they were purchased by Marek Kabat, a Polish chemist and art collector residing in the United States.

"In a gracious act, Kabat agreed to return these cultural treasures to Poland, according to officials."

Read more about these newly recovered Polish artworks and their history at Polskie Radio:

In a significant cultural restitution effort, Poland has successfully recovered three valuable artworks, including two 18th-century watercolors by Zygmunt Vogel, which went missing during World War II, the country's culture minister has said during a visit to the United States.

10/03/2023

"NATO soldiers stationed in Poland have paid tribute to the heroes of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising as part of commemorations in the Polish capital.

"On October 2, 1944, the 63-day Warsaw Uprising ended as the Polish freedom fighters, running low on food and ammunition and left all alone in their struggle, surrendered to the better armed N**i German occupiers.

"At the end of last week, a group of Poland-based NATO soldiers, guided by Polish Culture and National Heritage Minister Piotr Gliński, visited the Warsaw Rising Museum to commemorate the 79th anniversary of that heroic act of resistance."

Read more about this event at Polskie Radio:

NATO soldiers stationed in Poland have paid tribute to the heroes of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising as part of commemorations in the Polish capital.

10/02/2023

October 2, 1914: Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, known as the “Courier from Warsaw,” is born.

Nowak wanted to pursue a career in economics, but was mobilized as a non-commissioned officer during the invasion of Poland. He was captured by the Germans, but escaped and joined the Polish Underground.

His primary duty with the Underground was delivering messages between the Polish government-in-exile and the Polish Underground. His frequent trips between Poland and Allied territories (first France, and later Great Britain) earned him the nickname “Courier from Warsaw.” He fought during the Warsaw Rising, but was ordered by General Bor-Komorowski to escape the city before the Polish surrender. He escaped the battlefield and eventually reached London with many precious documents from the Polish Underground.

After the war, Nowak became a frequent personality on Radio Free Europe until 1976. He headed the Polish American Congress, and was also a national security advisor to both Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. He also wrote many books, including an account of his wartime experiences titled “Courier from Warsaw.”

He lived to see his homeland free of communist rule, and passed away in 2005, in Warsaw.

09/30/2023

September 30, 1939: Wladyslaw Sikorski is appointed as first prime minister of the Polish-government-in-exile.

The Siege of Warsaw has just ended after 4 weeks of bitter combat between Polish defenders and the German army. Though the city could have held out longer, the Russian invasion and civilian suffering within the city convinced the Poles to lay down their arms.

On the Hel peninsula, Polish troops continued fighting. The 3,000-strong garrison of the Hel Peninsula had been besieged by German forces on September 9, and were still resisting by the end of September.

The Independent Operational Group Polesie under General Franciszek Kleeberg also refused to surrender, breaking through Soviet positions near the town of Milanow. They are eventually the last Polish army unit to surrender in Poland, after the Battle of K**k.

09/29/2023

"A ceremony was held at the Main Cemetery in Stuttgart, southern Germany, to unveil the markers at a cemetery plot where Polish victims of World War II were buried, Polish Ambassador to Berlin Dariusz Pawłoś told PAP. The necropolis is the final resting place of 240 Polish citizens, primarily forced laborers.

"'The unveiling ceremony of the revitalized plot of forced laborers in Stuttgart is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the tragic past. The fate of those who died and were murdered as a result of the repression of the German occupier is permanently inscribed in the Polish memory of World War II,' wrote Poland’s Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage Jarosław Sellin in a letter read out during Wednesday’s ceremony.

"'Here in the Main Cemetery in Stuttgart lie 240 Polish citizens of various nationalities and creeds, primarily forced laborers, their children, and displaced persons, who died after liberation. Today, we can restore the identity of 226 of them by bringing their names and surnames out of oblivion. We give these people their due memory and respect, doing justice to the duty to remember the fate of our compatriots,' the deputy minister added."

Read the full story at TVP World:

Read the full story.

09/28/2023

"The event in Easton-on-the-Hill on Saturday (September 23) paid tribute to members of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, which marked its 82nd anniversary on the same day.

"Residents of Easton-on-the-Hill were joined by Polish and UK paratroop brigade members, consuls from the Polish Embassy, and members of the Polish Institute of Remembrance from Warsaw.

"Easton-on-the-Hill hosted more than 450 Polish paratroopers during the Second World War, who trained with the 1st British Airborne Corps to be deployed in western Europe. The Polish commander, General Stanislaw Sosabowski, had his headquarters in Rock House, Stamford."

An amazing effort by the people of Easton-on-the-Hill! Read more about this event and the history behind it at the Stamford Mercury:

More than 250 people attended a parade and dedication ceremony for a new memorial.

09/27/2023

"The Pilecki Institute in Berlin will open a new permanent exhibition dedicated to the institution’s patron, titled 'Witold Pilecki. In Resistance to Hi**er and Stalin'. 'Our new exhibition not only documents his life, but also takes a new look at the history of the Polish underground state and its numerous efforts to inform the world about crimes committed by N**i Germany,' the institute’s official website states.

"According to Pilecki Institute spokesman Patryk Szostak, this exhibition will get the viewers to learn about the reality of life in Poland under Soviet occupation, the first years of Stalinization, as well as the activities of the secret police.

"'We have reached rare documents and media reports, for example, about Pilecki’s show trial,' the spokesman said."

Read more about this new exhibit launched by the Pilecki Institute in Berlin at TVP World:
https://tvpworld.com/72986966/pilecki-institute-in-berlin-to-open-permanent-exhibition-dedicated-to-its-patron

Captain Witold Pilecki is best known for his mission during World War 2 to infiltrate the German concentration camp of Auschwitz, which he later escaped from to report the facts about the Holocaust to the Western Allies. He wrote a comprehensive report about his mission, which we continue to publish in English as our book "The Auschwitz Volunteer":
https://www.amazon.com/Auschwitz-Volunteer-Beyond-Bravery/dp/1607720108

Read the full story.

09/26/2023

"A plaque honoring a military action carried out by four future prime ministers of Poland – Józef Piłsudski, Walery Sławek, Aleksander Prystor, and Tomasz Arciszewski – was unveiled in Bezdany, Lithuania on Saturday. The attack on a Russian postal train at Bezdany (now Bezdonys) station near Vilnius was carried out on September 26, 1908, by members of the Combat Organization of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS).

"The ceremony at the railroad station in Bezdonys was organized by the Office of War Veterans and Victims of Oppression and the Polish Embassy in Lithuania.

"The plaque’s unveiling was attended by Polish and Lithuanian officials, as well as representatives of cultural institutions, uniformed services, and the clergy."

Read more about this event and the daring raid on a Russian imperial train that kept Józef Piłsudski's wish for an independent Poland alive at TVP World:

Read the full story.

09/25/2023

"Two significant artworks lost during World War II have been returned to Poland, Piotr Gliński, the minister of culture and national heritage, has announced.

"The artworks in question are Lady with a Fan, from the collection of the Museum of King Jan III's Palace in Warsaw's Wilanów district, and Ernst Wilhelm Knippel's lithograph Królewska Huta housed at the Silesian Museum in Katowice, southern Poland.

"Gliński highlighted the significance of the event, stating, 'Today we present and reintegrate two items previously deemed lost, thanks to the restitution efforts of our ministry. Both these works were on the list of Polish wartime losses.'"

Read the full story on these recovered works and continued efforts to return home more items of Polish culture at Polskie Radio:

Two significant artworks lost during World War II have been returned to Poland, Piotr Gliński, the minister of culture and national heritage, has announced.

09/22/2023

September 22, 1940 – Captain Witold Pilecki’s first day in Auschwitz, the prison transport train having stopped late the night before:

“I consider this the place in my story to be the moment when I bade farewell to everything I had hitherto known on this earth and entered something seemingly no longer of it…

“We were struck over the head not only by SS rifle butts, but also by something far greater.

“Our concepts of law and order and of what was normal, all those ideas to which we had become accustomed on this earth, were given a brutal kicking.

“Everything came to an end…

“From that moment on we were just numbers…My number was 4859. The two thirteens (composed by the inner and outer digits) convinced my comrades that I would die; the numbers cheered me up.”

— Captain Witold Pilecki, “The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery”, available here:
https://www.amazon.com/Auschwitz-Volunteer-Beyond-Bravery/dp/1607720108

09/21/2023

September 21, 1944: The Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade under General Sosabowski jump into battle during Operation Market Garden during World War II. Operation Market Garden was a daring attempt by Allied forces to enter Germany through the Netherlands and end the war in Europe by Christmas. Yet the offensive failed due to its complex tactical demands, faulty intelligence, and logistical difficulties. The Polish paratroopers fought bitterly to link up with their allies in Arnhem, but were only able to rescue elements of the British 1st Airborne Division before their surrender.

09/20/2023

"Poland is launching work to draw up a comprehensive report on the damage wrought on the country by the Soviet Union during World War II, a deputy foreign minister has said, adding that the project would be completed in two years at the earliest.

"Arkadiusz Mularczyk made the announcement in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio on Tuesday.

"The deputy foreign minister said: 'Today an international scientific conference begins in Pruszków near Warsaw, which marks the symbolic beginning of work on the report on Poland's war losses caused by the Soviet Union. The report will be ready in two to three years’ time at the earliest.'

"Mularczyk added that such a study of Poland’s war losses at the hands of the Soviet Union would be 'an important part of Polish historical policy' and so 'must be drawn up.'"

Read the full story about this new effort to document a history of damages at Polskie Radio:

Poland is launching work to draw up a comprehensive report on the damage wrought on the country by the Soviet Union during World War II, a deputy foreign minister has said, adding that the project would be completed in two years at the earliest.

09/19/2023

"September 17 - the anniversary of the 1939 Soviet aggression against Poland - is Siberian Day, which commemorates all Poles exiled to Siberia and other areas of Russia and the Soviet Union. 'For the history of Poland, Siberia is of crucial importance,' - Prof. Wojciech Śleszyński, director of the Siberian Memorial Museum in Bialystok, tells PAP.

"World Siberian Day was inaugurated in 2004 and got the rank of an official state holiday in Poland in 2013, by a resolution of the Polish Sejm. 'The Sejm of the Republic of Poland pays tribute to all Poles exiled to Siberia, other territories of Russia, and the Soviet Union. The Sejm of the Republic of Poland commemorates those who died there, those who managed to return to their homeland, those who settled in various parts of the world, and those who remained in the place of their exile, where they cultivated Polishness,' the resolution states."

Read more about National Siberian Day in Poland and the sad history behind it at TVP World:

Read the full story.