Gallery – “Amnesty” for the innocent

Polish and other foreign soldiers conscripted into the Russian Army. One year after the Soviets had become allies, Roman was still requesting and waiting to be released to join the Polish Army. That never happened and so he escaped and located Anders' Army in Guzar. Photograph taken in Stanica Leprozorsk, a lepers' village in the Kuban, Northern Caucasus, USSR. November 7, 1941
Back from left: Wacek Wasowicz, Zbyszek Gerulski, Roman Skulski, Genek Rodzaj, unknown. Middle centre: Jan Przyborowski Far right: Mike Pietrasz

During WWII

Soviet Union

Conscripted into the Red Army

Regina's sister in 1941

Regina Gasztold

Before WWII

Poland

Wilno

Regina's mother in 1941

Regina Gasztold

Before WWII

Poland

Release Papers from the Soviet Gulag

Stephen Stelmaszuk

During WWII

Russia

Photo has "Teheran" on the back so it must be 1942 post Siberia which would make Tekla 17, though she looks much younger.

Source: Public domain.

Uzbekistan

Source: Public domain.

Uzbekistan

Source: Public domain.

Uzbekistan

Source: Public domain.

Uzbekistan

Jozef Aksnowicz my father's older brother served with the 3 Dywizjon Artylerii Konnej in the September Campaign 1939.

Ron Aksonowicz

During WWII

Poland

September 1939 Campaign

The above photo is of Basia Sgrunowska and Farynka Sgrunowska on the train from Lugova to Krasnowodzk (in the evacuation to Persia after their deportation to the USSR), 23 March 1942 (from the private archives of Zofia Jordanowska - courtesy of VideoFact).

Zofia Jordanowska

During WWII

Uzbekistan

Russian announcement of the "amnesty" / formation of Polish Army in the USSR. In documents of exile of Katarzyna Prociuk

Halina Prociuk

During WWII

Kazakhstan

After the "Amnesty" Katarzyna Prociuk, exiled in Kazakhstan until 1945, was entitled to 250 rubles as the wife of a senior officer in the Polish Army (Aleksander Prociuk was a Captain, held as a POW in Oflag, Germany). This note is from the Polish Delegatura in Kustanaj, Kazakhstan, 1942.

Halina Prociuk

During WWII

Kazakhstan

Document allowing my grandmother to travel and get food. The document was issued at the 5th Infantry Division of the Polish Army, in Tatiszczewo, USSR, 27 Oct 1941. "Udostawierenije" - document allowing to travel, issued for Irena Sys (born in 1907), wife of sergeant Stanisław Sys, and her children - sons : Czesław, Edward and daughter - Maria. Stanisław Sys was at that time soldier of 5th Infantry Division. It allowed them to get bread as well as to travel within USSR. What is amazing here that it was signed by Zygmunt Berling (future general), but in Cyrillic !

Ryszard Sys

During WWII

Russia

Document allowing my grandmother to travel and get food. The document was issued at the 5th Infantry Division of the Polish Army, in Tatiszczewo, USSR, 27 Oct 1941. "Udostawierenije" - document allowing to travel, issued for Irena Sys (born in 1907), wife of sergeant Stanisław Sys, and her children - sons : Czesław, Edward and daughter - Maria. Stanisław Sys was at that time soldier of 5th Infantry Division. It allowed them to get bread as well as to travel within USSR. What is amazing here that it was signed by Zygmunt Berling (future general), but in Cyrillic !

Ryszard Sys

During WWII

Russia

A fragment of the telegram sent by the grandfather Stanislaw Sys to my grandmother Irena Sys. The address is shown as “Kras. Krai, Rudnik Kamonar, Ul. Dzerzinskaja, Nr 66. Telegram to Krasnojarski Kraj from Tatiszczewo - something is mentioned here in the bottom line as 950 - maybe Stanisław was sending Irena money in rubles so she could get to him ?

Ryszard Sys

During WWII

Russia

Stanislawa Kulik, my grandmother. One of only two known photographs, taken shortly before her death in Krasnavodsk August 1942.

Mike Kulik

During WWII

Child’s drawing from Iraq - Drawn by Danuta Maczka, 1942.

Elzunia Olsson

During WWII

Iraq

The “freed” need to find extra food to supplement their meagre rations

The Sikorski Polish Club, Glasgow, Scotland

During WWII

Poland

Evening scene at a Soviet state farm established on confiscated land

The Sikorski Polish Club, Glasgow, Scotland

During WWII

Poland

Amnesty was granted by Stalin following the Sikorsku-Majesky agreement. These ex-prisoners were later evacuated to the Middle East, to form a 75,000-strong army.

The Sikorski Polish Club, Glasgow, Scotland

During WWII

Poland

A railway station buffet is besieged by released prisoners at one of the stations.

The Sikorski Polish Club, Glasgow, Scotland

During WWII

Poland

Ex-prisoners enjoying “freedom” on a collective state farm in Uzbekistan.

The Sikorski Polish Club, Glasgow, Scotland

During WWII

Poland

Sprawiedliwość Soviecka_Ryc35 - public domain

Sprawiedliwość Sowiecka, by S Mora and P Zwierniek, Włochy 1945

During WWII

Poland

In September 1941 the commandant informed them that they were free and could travel to Uzbekistan where a Polish army was being formed. As soon as they had built rafts they left the camp.

Telesfor Sobierajski

During WWII

Russia

The journey - with many alarms - took over a week but they reached their destination, Kotlas.

Telesfor Sobierajski

During WWII

Russia

Alicja R Edwards Art Work – Sailing to freedom

Alicja Edwards

During WWII

Alicja R Edwards Art Work – They Called Us DPs - "per apera ad astram ... when God was our witness and walked us toward freedom..." 1942

Alicja Edwards

During WWII

Alicja R Edwards Art Work – Exodus from Siberia

Alicja Edwards

During WWII

Uzbekistan

Illustration showing the deportees waiting to be evacuated from the USSR to Persia

Alicja Edwards

During WWII