History /
Some names to the faces of brave Poles during WW2 German Invasion [24]
But finally, finally free now. I just wish so many of those who endured nearly a century of nightmares could feel the freedom. I hope they are smiling down from above, and know that their descendants, Poland's children at home and abroad, are doing something to keep her free this time. This is why some of us keep reminding the world of the travesties, not to keep reliving the nightmares - but to keep them from happening again. History is terrible about repeating its mistakes, unless learned from.
Long live Poland!
I find this sooo important of a read, because it shows that every day people were tortured at the drop of a hat, solely on the whims of any German Soldier, not just the Gestapo!
In my history classes in the US, even in college, the focus was on the Genocide of Jews. This paper is so very important, in that it reveals the true focus: Genocide of ALL POLES! The Nazis equally defiled the churches and synagogues, and all the Priests and Rabbis, along with all the intellectuals, local leaders, even that 70 year old mayor who was crippled! They tossed him onto the pile of bodies last, and dispatched him there.
I had to simply shut out the horrors to sleep last night; I haven't had to do that since High School.
Whereas I knew much of my grandmother's family was in Auschwitz, I now see all Poles and not the 1/3 of the Jewish population I was told that perished; 18 million Poles were MURDERED, and I sure as hell don't see any NATIONAL Monument to them!! Just to the 6 million Jews.
This is a wrong that must be righted in History! All those Poles were Martyred. I knew some of the techniques used to kill the prisoners in the past, but the sheer Sadism exhibited...the Nuremburg Trials only caught a fraction of the murderers. I am at least glad that the killers, though old men now, are still being brought to justice, even if Israel are the ones pressing charges.
I'm still wrapping my mind around all this. See, I knew in theory it was true; I had a Catholic Priest in grade school, who was a child in WW2, and then was tortured by the Communists, before he escaped. He told us the milder versions of torture he endured, which was being hung upside down, water poured into his nostrils, and choking on it.
"According to a deposition that reached us from Lancut (Southern Poland), 5,000 war prisoners were held in a country house park. A cold rain fell day and night. The men were forced to keep on their feet and were famished. Their moans were heart-rending. Count Potocki, proprietor of the park, and the inhabitants of the town of Lancut, did all in their power to provide food for this multitude who had not tasted anything for several days. Each morning the bodies of many who had succumbed to these hardships were removed."
In doing research on my family tree, I ran across this article, which is from a book. Count Jan Roman Potocki AND the locals of Lancut risked much, in helping those prisoners!
I think that's the one thing pervading the entire war inside of Poland: people CARED, and DARED to try and help! Even the Nazis admired the tenacity of the Poles. I can't say how I feel, with these newly discovered layers of inhumanity of the German soldiers. On top of that, either your German/Polish neighbors died with you, or turned against you, and became part of your death! I can't imagine living in that time of nightmares.
I suppose I should have posted a rather inflammatory thread title, to get people hot under the collar...seems to be the only way to have people participate in a discussion on here.
SAD. Very sad.
