Son of Katyn victom, deported to Kazakhstan 13th April 1940 aged 17 years
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Facts
The collective murder of 21,857 Polish POWs and civilian prisoners by the NKVD in the Spring of 1940 is known as the Katyn Massacres. The murders took place in the Katyn forest as well as…
The collective murder of 21,857 Polish POWs and civilian prisoners by the NKVD in the Spring of 1940 is known as the Katyn Massacres.
The murders took place in the Katyn forest as well as Kharvkov, Tver, Bykownia and still undisclosed locations in Belarus.
Following the invasion of Poland September 1939, the Soviets took over 15,000 POWs (mostly Officers) to 3 special POW camps at Kozelsk, Starobelsk and Ostashkov in Russia.
In addition, 11,000 non-military prisoners were held in prisons in Eastern Poland by the NKVD – thousands were State Policemen.
On the 5th March 1940 the Politburo approved Beria’s recommendation that the POWs and prisoners by punished – death by shooting.
Stalin signed the order.
Over 5 weeks in April and May 1940 all 21,857 POWs and civilian prisoners, at various locations, were executed by a shot in the back of the head.
In April 1943, the Germans announced their discovery of thousands of bodies of Polish officers in the Katyn Forest. German propoganda accused the Soviets of the massacre.
This provoked a political crisis. Stalin broke off relations with the Polish Government-in-Exile. Britain and America, not wanting to alienate their Soviet ally, suppressed the truth.
On 13th April 1990, Gorbachev released archives admitting NKVD guilt in the Katyn murders.
Katyn was part of a wider “Sovietization” policy. By removing the cream of Poland’s patriots, leaders and intelligentsia, Stalin was laying the groundwork for his take-over of our country.