History /
70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]
That's obvious. Poles were trying to defend themselves against the rampaging Ukrainian terrorists who used the most barbaric of massacre techniques
Yes. First, there was self-defence, local Polish villagers tried to repel the attackers with what weapons they had at the time.
Then, Polish partisan units came to help villagers and they took part in repelling Ukrainian terrorists from UPA.
But eventually, there were cases of revenge, too. Poles attacked Ukranian villages and killed inhabitants. Sad but true.
Yes, those who tried to leave the area were chased and killed too. Today Ukrainians claim that UPA only wanted to expulse Poles from the disputed territory. But it is not true - they wanted to exterminate all Poles to make sure the land is clean.
Yes. First, there was self-defence, local Polish villagers tried to repel the attackers with what weapons they had at the time.
E.g., here:
Huta Stepańska was an ethnic Polish village, located in prewar Kostopol county, Wołyń Voivodeship, in the Second Polish Republic. In 1943, during the Massacres of Poles in Volhynia, it became an important Polish self-defence centre, captured by the UPA between 16 and 18 July 1943. Some 2,000 UIA soldiers, supported by 3,000 local Ukrainian peasants, killed 300 Poles (other sources put number of victims at 600),[1] as they were trying to break out of the encirclement.[2]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huta_Stepa%C5%84ska
Then, Polish partisan units came to help villagers and they took part in repelling Ukrainian terrorists from UPA.
E.g.,
A second attack took place on July 12, the UPA concentrated its forces on the village of Rafalowka. The Polish side managed to force the enemy to flee, but this was not the end. As Henryk Cybulski wrote in his memoirs, throughout the summer of 1943 the "war for grain" persisted. The number of Poles in Przebraże was too high and its defenders realized that it was impossible to feed so many people. Thus, in April and July 1943, Polish peasants, guarded by patrols, were harvesting crops, transporting it to the settlement. The Ukrainians would attack the peasants, killing several.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przebra%C5%BCe_Defence
But eventually, there were cases of revenge, too. Poles attacked Ukranian villages and killed inhabitants.
Sahryń was the site of the initial thrust of the AK counter-offensive against UPA, under the command of Lieutenant Zenon Jachymek,[2] due to Ukrainian self-defence stationing there.[4]
At dawn on March 10, 1944 the AK unit from Division Hrubieszow attacked the fortified village. A heavy fighting broke out.[2] The Ukrainians retreated, but both Catholic and Orthodox churches in Sahryń were burned down.[2] Some 700 villagers were killed by the AK in reprisal, and 260 farmhouses set of fire.[3]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahry%C5%84
revenge, too.
What did Poles take revenge for?
E.g.,
On August 30, 1943, armed members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA) murdered 438 Poles. Among the victims there were 246 children under 14 years of age.[1] On the same day, the insurgents murdered 529 Poles in the neighboring village of Wola Ostrowiecka (see Massacre of Wola Ostrowiecka).[2] After the massacre, Ostrówki was burnt to the ground, and all goods were looted by local peasants. In September 1943, commandant of the local UIA unit Lysiy reported to the UIA's headquarters: "I have carried out the operation in the villages of Wola Ostrowiecka and Ostrovky. I have liquidated all Poles, from the youngest to the oldest ones. I burnt all buildings, and appropriated all goods".[3]
The massacre followed a schemen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_Ostr%C3%B3wki
Exhumation and second funeral
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