TIMELINE
24.03.1942 – “They won their lives” – Evacuation of the Anders’ Army
On 24 March 1942, the first stage of the evacuation of the soldiers serving in the so-called Anders Army from the Soviet Union to Persia began. About 78,000 exiles, who joined the Polish army and 37 thousand civilians, including about 18,000 Polish children were evacuated in total.
11.11.1941 – Polish Independence Day on the Irtysh River
The date of 11 November 1918, being the day on which Poland regained its independence, is a symbolic date. Exactly on that day, an armistice ending the First World War was concluded in a wagon in the forest of Compiègne.
12.08.1941 – The co-called amnesty
On August 12, 1941, the authorities of the Soviet Union gave "amnesty" to hundreds of thousands of Poles deported to Siberia.
13.04.1940 – On the morning of 13 April
On the morning of 13 April 1940, NKVD soldiers came banging against the doors of the homes of more than 60,000 residents of eastern Poland. They ordered them to pack quickly and loaded them into cattle wagons.
22.10.1939 – “Elections” in the Soviet Way
On 22 October 1939 the Soviets organised elections of delegates to the so-called people’s assemblies in the annexed Eastern Borderlands (Kresy) of the Second Polish Republic. After a rapid propaganda campaign accompanied by terror and violence, the “vote” took place.
22.09.1939 – Parade of “Friends”
The parade on Unia Lubelska Street in Brest began at 4pm on 22 September 1939 and lasted only about 45 minutes. That was enough time to show the whole world the newly formed alliance of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
