Professor Stanisław Kot collection Kot Stanisław (Kol. 25)

Copyright Holder: Instytut Polski i Muzeum im. Gen. Sikorskiego w Londynie Rząd Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej na uchodźstwie (Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile) was established after Germany and the Soviet Union occupied Poland in September 1939. The Polish government-in-exile was first based in Paris, but moved to London after the French army surrendered to the Germans in the mid-1940s. The Allied powers accepted the government-in-exile as the legitimate representative of the Polish people soon after it was created. The Polish government allied itself with the Allied powers, as its members believed that only a total military victory over Germany would restore Poland's independence and freedom. The government-in-exile led the Polish war effort throughout World War II, and amassed its own land, air, and naval forces. In addition, it commanded the largest underground army of the war, the Armia Krajowa (the Polish Home Army). In 1942, reports about the mass murder of Jews in Poland reached London. At that point, the Polish government-in-exile made several public declarations on the subject, and officially demanded that the Allied powers stop the Germans from continuing their campaign to murder Jews, and other individuals they deemed undesirable. From December 1942 onward, the government-in-exile backed the rescue work of Zegota, which offered aid to Jews throughout occupied Poland. Contains photocopies of the clandestine press, publications of various political parties and fractions, reports from occupied Poland, speeches (e.g. the speech of the Prime Minister Mikolajczyk during his meetings with BUND), records on various Jewish cases, on Polish Government in Exile post in Teheran, Polish refugees in Teheran, Iran, Jewish children coming to Palestine from Teheran, situation of Polish Jews in France, and relations between Stanislaw Kot and General Anders, on BBC broadcast, Jerusalem (1942-1945). Includes official correspondence (e.g. on relations with USSR, Middle East, Jews in Iran, evacuation of refugees including Jews from USSR), letters, notes, and reports of the Polish Government in Exile posts from USSR, and Middle East, letters and statements on financial aids to refugees, testimonies of employees of the Polish Embassy in Kujbyszew collected by the Special Investigative Commission in Iran, and name lists of refugees in Tel-Aviv (523 names) and Jerusalem, also name list of Jews selected for evacuation from Russia, and other various name lists.