An Ukrainian historian from Gdańsk, Poland has just published a monograph describing the first ten years in life of people resettled during Operation “Vistula” in western and northern territories of Poland. At least 1/3 of those described throughout the book as Ukrainians were Lemkos.

Hałagida rejects the theory that was repeated throughout the Communist period that the resettlement was a form of punishment for the activity of the Ukrainian underground (Ukrainian Insurgent Army). He underlines that the Polish military circles were not satisfied with the outcome of the first resettlement that removed up to half a million Ukrainians (including some 100,000 Lemkos) from Poland to the Soviet Ukraine between 1944 and 1946 and as early as during the fall of 1946 were planning to “resolve the Ukrainian question in Poland” for good, this time by means of another resettlement among the Poles with the purpose of assimilation.

Hałagida discusses Communist Poland’s policy towards the Ukrainian minority (with which the Lemkos were being associated) during the most difficult period after the resettlement, the so-called “period of non-existence” (1947-1957). The resettled found it very difficult to adjust to life in new places, where the authorities and Polish neighbors were watching them. The Polish press continued for years to portray the Ukrainian underground (and in a sense all Ukrainians) as nothing less than murderers. During the first decade there was no room for any cultural activity; that began only with the creation of the Ukrainian Socio-Economic Society. [B.H.]

See other note on this book (in Polish)

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