Description
Object description
Polish student at the University of Lwów, Poland, 1939-1941; private served with the Soviet Army in Soviet Union, 5/1941-11/1941; deserter from Soviet Army in Soviet Union, 11/1941-1/1942; served with Polish Armed Forces in the East in the Soviet Union and Iran, 1/1942-4/1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Poland, 1919-1939: family; education. Aspect of period as student at University of Lwów, Poland, 9/1939-5/1941: arrival of Soviet Army troops in city, 9/1939; deportation of his family to Siberia, Soviet Union, 4/1940; effects of Soviet take-over on university including enforcement of use of Ukrainian language, 1940; how his mother's experience of Bolshevik invasion in 1920 effected her attitude towards Communism; problems he had obtaining grant to continue studies, 1940; opposition to authorities attempt to draft him into primary school teaching; attitude to obeying call-up to Soviet Army, 5/1941.
REEL 2 Continues: temporary deferment to join Soviet Army. Recollections of period as private with Soviet Army in Soviet Union, 5/1941-11/1941: drafting into Soviet Army, 5/1941; processing of recruits at Tikhoretsk, 5/1941; attempt of young Communist to confiscate his Catholic medallion, 5/1941; training in Kuban area; Soviet Army hierarchy; rations issued; low-level map reading competence of unit officers, Kuban, 5/1941.
REEL 3 Continues: how he got NCOs into his way of thinking in Kuban, 5/1941; character of Georgian officer; news of German invasion of Soviet Union, 22/6/1941; invitation to join Communist Party of Soviet Union; personal confession made to him by Georgian officer; positions taken up by his artillery unit near Smolensk, summer 1941; move away from Smolensk area to Rostov-on-Don, then Gorki; receiving news that he was to be transferred to a Polish unit, 31/7/1941.
REEL 4 Continues: demand to be transferred to Polish Armed Forces in the East at Gorki; his method of dealing with problem of inadequate rations; how Polish troops were not trusted to fight for Soviet Army and put to farm work, 9/1941-10/1941; his meeting with London based Polish representative on route to Gorki; story of discovery of agreement that London based Polish Government-in-Exile would not approach Poles already serving in Soviet Army, 11/1941.
REEL 5 Continues: decision to escape from Soviet Army. Aspects of period as deserter from Soviet Army in Soviet Union, 11/1941-1/1942: extreme cold weather, 11/1941; train journey across Soviet Union, late 11/1941-12/1941; problems avoiding inspection of papers by police during train journey; discarding of Soviet Army uniform and use of civilian clothes; arrival at Kuibyshev. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Polish Armed Forces in the East in the Soviet Union and Iran, 1942: joining Polish Armed Forces in the East at Tatishchevo, near Kuibyshev, 1/1942; how he was sent to cadet school, leaving Soviet Union for Pahlevi, Iran, 31/3/1942.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as private with Soviet Army in Soviet Union, 1941: measures taken by Soviet Army to spy on him by means of Silesian Pole called Jan; how Jan came to be in Soviet Union; story of how Jan was arrested for paying unofficial price for bread; reluctance of Soviet people to fight for Soviet regime; impressions of Soviet people; sings Polish Legion songs from First World War.