Interview with Hilary Milczarek

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Description

Object description

Polish civilian deported from Poland to Soviet Union, 1940-1942; served with Polish Armed Forces in Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Iran and Iraq, 1942-1943; private served with 15th Rifles Bn, 5th Wilno Infantry Bde, 5th 'Kresowa' Infantry Div, II Polish Corps in Italy, 1944-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Dąbrowica, Poland, 1925-1939: family; education; father's military service against Soviet Union, 1920; character of family farm; education in Pinsk until 1939. Recollections of period as civilian in Dąbrowica, Poland, 9/1939-2/1940: initial impact of Soviet occupation; question of changing relationship between Poles and Ukrainians, after 9/1939; nature of deportation from Poland to Soviet Gulag, 10/2/1940. Recollections of deportation from Poland to Soviet Union, 1940-1941: story of Lavrentiy Beria arriving to see Polish deportees; arrival in Archangel Oblast. REEL 2 Continues: coping with cold weather in Archangel area; nature of work; problem of mosquitoes, summer 1940; family's living conditions; job as assistant to foreman; presence of People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD); story of how denying warmth to People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) man forced him to cancel work for the day; use of felt boots and his business repairing them, 1941. Recollections of journey from Archangel Oblast to Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union, 1941-1942: obstructions placed in the path by Soviet authorities of Poles freed after Polish-Russian agreement; wait at Ilinsky during journey to Kotlas, winter 1941-1942; character of train journey south; arrival at Tashkent; selling his skates for food; aid he gave to Jewish family; story of being thrown out of restaurant in Tashkent. REEL 3 Continues: negotiating hazards of Soviet railway system; arrival at Grunch-Mazar; discovery of wagon-load of starving Soviet prisoners at Sverdlovsk; death of mother at Sverdlovsk; work on state cotton farm near Grunch-Mazar; problems of working with cotton; hearing news of Polish mission at Andizhan and ensuing journey there; discovery that Polish Armed Forces in the East was being formed; second journey to Andizhan; exploits as record salesman; attempt of People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) to check train to Andizhan and how he obtained protection of Very Important Person (VIP) being evacuated from Moscow, 1942. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period with Polish Armed Forces in the East in Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union, Iran and Iraq, 1942-1943: joining army at Jalal-Abad, Soviet Union, 3/ 1942; march to Susak; refusal of Poles to fight on Eastern Front, 1942; journey to Iran via Krasnovodsk on Caspian Sea; death of sister from typhus; reaction to sight of goods at Pahlevi, Iran; move to Khanaqin, Iraq, 8/1942; further move to Kirkut, Iraq; training as driver-mechanic; hospitalisation for illness; move to French Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Aspect of period as private with 15th Rifles Bn, 5th Wilno Infantry Bde, 5th 'Kresowa' Infantry Div, II Polish Corps in Italy, 1944-1945: move to Campolieto, 2/1944; move into front line; advance towards Ancona and Bologna; question of impossibility of returning to Poland. Aspects of period of deportee in Soviet Union, 1940-1941: premonition he had that he would go to GB; sight of snakes. REEL 5 Continues: nature of Communist propaganda; initial impressions of Soviet Union; interruptions to rations; possessions Poles took with them into camps; layout of house interiors in north of Soviet Union.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Milczarek, Hilary (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2000-03-02
Dimensions: whole: Duration 135, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 20136

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Interview with Hilary Milczarek

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