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The Red Army's encroachment into Upper Silesia and the subsequent repressions
In mid-January 1945, the people of Upper Silesia found themselves in dire straits. Mass arrests commenced; citizens were apprehended according to pre-compiled lists, compelled to work under threat of legal repercussions, and even denunciations by their neighbours. Repression combined with intimidation was intended to create widespread fear and subjection to the communist authorities.
Brutal murders, violence and rape incidents
One dramatic symbol of the mass repression of the civilian population is the event in Miechowice, where the Red Army killed 380 people between January 25 and January 28, 1945. The victims included innocent civilians, women, and children. The scale of this repression is further highlighted by the number of victims from other towns in Upper Silesia: Przyszowice - 69, Pokój - 118, Kup - 100, Czarnowąsy - 150, and Zakrzów - 111.
The victims of numerous rape incidents during this period were not limited to women; girls were also targeted.
Looting and mass destruction
As terrified residents took shelter in cellars, Soviet troops looted and burned one town after another. Mines and factories were stripped of their equipment, tools, and machinery as war reparations, sometimes leaving behind only the foundations. The dismantling of numerous industrial facilities, including the Gliwice smelting works, resulted in widespread devastation and subsequent negative economic repercussions for the region.
Labour camps
The events of the ‘Upper Silesian Tragedy’ include the actions of Polish communists, particularly the repression apparatus and the establishment of labour camps. The most notable camps were located in Świętochłowice Zgoda, Mysłowice, and Łambinowice. Two commanders are particularly remembered for their brutality: Salomon Morel, who led the Zgoda camp, and Czesław Gęborski, who oversaw the camp in Łambinowice. Survivors of these post-war communist labour camps have painful memories of their experiences under their command.
Internment and deportation
In February 1945, the Soviet military authorities issued an internment order for men aged 17 to 50. Those targeted were instructed to report to designated locations with food supplies for two weeks and a change of clothing. Afterwards, they were sent to transit camps, such as Labędy. The deportees were transported in closed cattle wagons, known as ‘krowioki,’ equipped with wooden bunks and a hole in the floor serving as a toilet. Many of these men endured harsh conditions during their journey, which lasted from two weeks (the territories of Ukraine and Belarus) to up to a month (camps in Kemerovo and Kandalasha). For many of them, this was the last journey of their lives.
Soviet gulags
Extremely exhausted, they were sent to remote camps deep within the USSR (including Krasnovodsk, Kemerovo, and Donetsk). There, they were forced into hard physical labour in mines and collective farms, working 12 hours a day, 6 to 7 days a week, without proper equipment or protective clothing. The living conditions were extremely harsh, with poor hygiene, widespread disease, lack of access to medical care, and malnutrition, which led to the deaths of many deportees. They lived in constant fear of reprisals and worried about the fate of their loved ones left behind in Silesia. Approximately 12,000 of those deported to the East did not return home.
Difficulties faced by the Upper Silesians
Nearly 48,000 individuals from Upper Silesia were sent to the East, treated by the Soviets as so-called "living war reparations." These deportations primarily involved men, often the sole breadwinners for their families. As a result, the women and children left behind faced incredibly difficult circumstances. While they waited in ignorance and uncertainty for the return of their loved ones, many women - often lacking proper education - were forced to find any available work to support themselves and their children. By 1950, it was reported that 25 per cent of the deportees had not returned. Those who did return were not only severely emaciated but also compelled to remain silent about their experiences, traumatised...
Memory and reflection
The subject was deliberately forgotten for many years, and conversations about it were even prohibited. This situation changed only after 1989. In the regional culture of memory, the events surrounding the arrival of the Red Army in Upper Silesia in January 1945, along with their consequences, are referred to as the Upper Silesian Tragedy. Despite the current discussions concerning the timeframe and scope of this concept, the events of eighty years past hold a prominent position.
In recalling the tragic experiences of the past, we aim to build relationships based on respect and mutual understanding, which serve as the foundations of peace.