Description
Object description
Polish inmate of Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany and Schloss Lind Subcamp, Mauthausen Concentration Camp, Austria, 4/1940-4/1945; NCO served with the II Polish Corps in Italy and GB, 1945-1947; refugee in GB, 1947-1955
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Congress Poland, Imperial Russian Empire and Poland, 1916-1939: family; education; military service; awareness of impending war, 8/1939. Aspects of period as civilian in Poland, 9/1939-4/1940: reaction to outbreak of Second World War and German and Soviet invasions of Poland, 9/1939; return home; attitude to German regulations; story of being denounced to Gestapo by former friend of German origin, 4/1940. Aspects of period as NCO with the Polish II Corps in Italy and GB, 1945-1947: joining Polish II Corps in Italy, 5/1945; daily life and duties; enrollment on engineering course at Turin Polytechnic, Italy; attitude to returning to Poland; relations with Italian civilians; transfer to GB, 11/1946; amusing story of watching film about British pubs.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude to move to GB; problem of English language; journey from Italy to GB, 11/1946; initial impressions of GB; description of camp at High Wycombe, GB; status as serving soldier rather than refugee. Aspects of period as refugee in GB, 1947-1955: entering Polish College at London University; problem of restrictions on movement; attitude to help from refugee organisations; university grant and life, 1947-1951; social life; attitude of British people; amusing stories about British customs and language; comparison of British and Polish lifestyles; question of return to Poland; courses available at Polish College at London University; qualifications and career; naturalisation, 1955; engagement to English girl.
REEL 3 Continues: story of marriage and family; feelings on visits to Poland; relations with Polish community in Bedford; contacts with Poles; reflections on experiences as a refugee.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as inmate in Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/1940-6/1942: arrest by Gestapo, 4/1940; journey to Dachau Concentration Camp via Działdowo Prison Transit Camp; initial impressions of camp, 10/4/1940; description of camp and arrival procedure; purpose of camp and different categories of inmates; relations between different categories of intmates; influence of political prisoners in camp; leadership within different inmate groups; administration and organisation of camp; nature of work and deaths; special treatment for prisoners in positions of authority; relations between prisoners; code of conduct for stealing and punishments; story of arrival of teaching staff from University of Kraków; rations; daily routine; washing facilities; medical facilities; photographing of inmates; problem of inadequate clothing in cold weather; distribution of rations; physical condition of inmates and mutual assistance; treatment by Schutzstaffel (SS) guards.
REEL 5 Continues: description of prisoners making way to bath house; work duties on plantation; enforcement of discipline; contact with civilians outside camp; morale and attitude to survival; night raid to select prisoners for gas chambers; escape attempts and collective punishments; execution of recaptured prisoners; communication with family; treatment recieved; attitude to receiving no outside help. Aspects of period as inmate in Schloss Lind Subcamp, Mauthausen Concentration Camp, Austria, 6/1942-5/1945: comparison of living conditions with Dachau Concentration Camp; contact with civilians and French prisoners of war; presence of Spanish Republican inmates; reaction to news of Normandy Landings, 6/1944; description of camp; change in camp atmosphere, 1/1945; how move to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp was prevented by bombing of railway lines; liberation by Austrian Resistance; attitude to revenge and retribution; question of large numbers of non-Jewish prisoners also being gassed; lessons learnt from Holocaust experience.