Centre of Deported Polish Citizens, showing the WWII-era

celinski 31 | 1258

6 Mar 2009 / #1

As Russia tries to hold back the history Poland sees new day ahead.

Senator Dorota Arciszewska- Mielewczyk suggests Poland should build a Centre of Deported Polish Citizens, showing the WWII-era martyrology of Poles from the East and West. 'Otherwise the world will only know the story about poor Germans', she says.

'Such a museum is something Poland should have long had! After all, as a result of the war started by the Germans, millions of Poles were murdered, forcefully evicted from their homes, sent to camps or to slave labour in the Reich. Then further millions were sent to lagers, murdered and resettled from the eastern borderlands to the "Regained Territories" by Stalin. It's seventy years after the start of the war and we still haven't been able to build a museum that would present the great martyrology of the Polish people. We owe this to our ancestors.'

'Such a museum is something Poland should have long had! After all, as a result of the war started by the Germans, millions of Poles were murdered, forcefully evicted from their homes, sent to camps or to slave labour in the Reich. Then further millions were sent to lagers, murdered and resettled from the eastern borderlands to the "Regained Territories" by Stalin. It's seventy years after the start of the war and we still haven't been able to build a museum that would present the great martyrology of the Polish people. We owe this to our ancestors.'

sjam 2 | 541

6 Mar 2009 / #2

Who does he think is going to finance another yet museum when one can't even raise finance to publish books about this subject in Poland let alone anywhere else?

OP celinski 31 | 1258

6 Mar 2009 / #3

There are donation that can pay for this. It is long over due.

Did you see this one. polishforcesmemorial.com :)

sjam 2 | 541

6 Mar 2009 / #4

Did you see this one.

This project has a budget of just £250,000—a museum is likely to be several millions with ongoing annual running costs.

BTW. I am presently looking for additional finance for a documentary about life of Capt. Witold Pilecki—budget is minimum £300,000 to produce a one hour programme :-)

OP celinski 31 | 1258

6 Mar 2009 / #5

BTW. I am presently looking for additional finance for a documentary about life of Capt. Witold Pilecki—budget is minimum £300,000 to produce a one hour programme :-)

Have you ever seen "A Forgotten Odyssey" by Jaguna Wright? She could not find anyone to produce this so she did it herself. Sadly she lost her battle with cancer. I will keep you in mind as we look for sponsers for Kresy-Siberia.org virtual museum. I wish you all the luck as it needs production. Have you thought of asking "The History Channel"?

sjam 2 | 541

7 Mar 2009 / #6

Have you thought of asking "The History Channel"?

Yes. The History Channel would put up half the budget ;-)

Have you ever seen "A Forgotten Odyssey" by Jagna Wright?

I have. If you have a copy you will see Stefan Weydenfeld is interviewed. He wrote the book 'Ice Road' that I recommended you should read. It is a good memoir of his time as Polish deportee to Kvasha, in USSR.

1jola 14 | 1875

7 Mar 2009 / #7

a documentary about life of Capt. Witold Pilecki

Sjam, here is a TV/theatre about his trial. There are subtitles on this one.

rhetos.pl/index.php?s=karta&id=466

It can be seen on google video in Polish here:

sjam 2 | 541

7 Mar 2009 / #8

here is a TV/theatre about his trial.

I saw this film when it was presented at the Los Angeles Polish film festival in California year before last. Unfortunately the audience was almost entirely Polish, and most Americans don't like sub-titles.

The History Channel would be willing to look at a life-story documentary leading from Pilcecki's giving himself up to be imprisoned in Auschwitz, the resistance movement he set up, the reports smuggled to London on camp conditions and the extermination of the Jews; his escape from Auschwitz and part in the Rising; volunteering to try and establish anti-communist resistance cells; his arrest and subsequent state execution; his "rehabilitaion" by the state after communism and the efforts (or lack of them) by Polish governments to put on trial those involved in his state murder.

1jola 14 | 1875

8 Mar 2009 / #9

On April 17 there is a film " General Nil" coming out in Poland. Saw the preview and it looks really good. I hope it gets some exposure in the west and also stirs a debate why the beasts who murdered him are walking the streets. His daughter has led a fruitless campaign to get justice for years. So much for justice in "free" Poland. The old guard is firmly in charge. It's important to understand that the communists didn't give up power in 1989; they only shared power, but that's another thread.

from Pilcecki's giving himself up to be imprisoned in Auschwitz

Volunteering is a more acurate word, or better yet, the only volunteer for Auschwitz.

Do you think Hollywood producers read PF? It's got Auschwitz in it :)

and most Americans don't like sub-titles.

Do you know why Americans don't like foreign films? Because they are sooo foreign.

sjam 2 | 541

8 Mar 2009 / #10

I hope it gets some exposure in the west and also stirs a debate

I can assure you it will not.

Even the recent film 'Katyń' did not stir up any debate outside of Polish communities. To have had an impact in the Amercian market 'Katyń' unquestionably should have been produced with an English soundtrack as well as Polish. This was a greatly missed opportunity for Poland if it is important for non-Poles to understand the non-Jewish Polish experience of WWII.

The same will be true of a film of " General Nil" if it is not also being made with English soundtrack.