Col. Wincenty Bąkiewicz collection Płk. Wincentego Bąkiewicza (Kol.138)

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 records of the Polish intelligence services, decoded dispatches from and to the Polish intelligence base in Teheran June 1942-June 1945, decoded dispatches from and to the Polish Army in Russia and the Polish intelligence services in Russia. Includes testimonies of the Polish civilians in Russia-refugees, POWs from Soviet camps, testimonies of the ex prisoners and „³agiernik” written mostly in 1944, various reports, testimonies on Katyń-Starobielsk-Ostaszków, evacuation of refugees from USSR (The Anders Army), Jewish issues in Palestine, the Jewish Agency in Palestine, Jewish property in Poland, the Polish Army on the Middle East, antisemitism in the army, POW camps in USSR, the internees, the letter of Jewish soldier „Why I left the Polish Army”, and other matters, report of Capt. Wierzbicki on evacuation of Jewish children from Russia, Erlich and Alter issue” including copies of their letters to Stalin, records on Soviet camps of POWs and others including communistic propaganda in the camps. Contains name lists: lists of Jews Polish citizens applying to the Polish Army in Teheran, and name list of people who died in Kozielsk.