WWII Siberian Exile
@polishodyssey.bsky.social
Writing about the Soviet deportations of Polish citizens and the trajectories of military and civilian exile
Deported by the USSR from Poland during WWII, the children who arrived in Canada were full or half-orphans who survived Soviet labor camps & evacuation from the USSR to Iran.
They subsequently joined the orphanage at the #Tengeru camp for Polish exiles in Tanganyika
(Tengeru's orphanage barracks)
They subsequently joined the orphanage at the #Tengeru camp for Polish exiles in Tanganyika
(Tengeru's orphanage barracks)
October 24, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Deported by the USSR from Poland during WWII, the children who arrived in Canada were full or half-orphans who survived Soviet labor camps & evacuation from the USSR to Iran.
They subsequently joined the orphanage at the #Tengeru camp for Polish exiles in Tanganyika
(Tengeru's orphanage barracks)
They subsequently joined the orphanage at the #Tengeru camp for Polish exiles in Tanganyika
(Tengeru's orphanage barracks)
Located outside of Arusha at the base of Mt. Meru, #Tengeru was the largest camp for Polish exiles (civilians) in Africa, reaching a peak population of roughly 5,000 people.
Facilities included schools, an orphanage, hospital, farm, synagogue, two churches, shops, and an agricultural school.
Facilities included schools, an orphanage, hospital, farm, synagogue, two churches, shops, and an agricultural school.
October 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Located outside of Arusha at the base of Mt. Meru, #Tengeru was the largest camp for Polish exiles (civilians) in Africa, reaching a peak population of roughly 5,000 people.
Facilities included schools, an orphanage, hospital, farm, synagogue, two churches, shops, and an agricultural school.
Facilities included schools, an orphanage, hospital, farm, synagogue, two churches, shops, and an agricultural school.
The orphans were led to Canada by Father Łucjan Królikowski, who became the chaplain for the #Tengeru orphanage in 1947.
He previously served in the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment in Iraq, was ordained in Beirut in 1946, and acted as chaplain for Polish Military Hospital No. 8 in El-Qantara, Egypt.
He previously served in the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment in Iraq, was ordained in Beirut in 1946, and acted as chaplain for Polish Military Hospital No. 8 in El-Qantara, Egypt.
October 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
The orphans were led to Canada by Father Łucjan Królikowski, who became the chaplain for the #Tengeru orphanage in 1947.
He previously served in the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment in Iraq, was ordained in Beirut in 1946, and acted as chaplain for Polish Military Hospital No. 8 in El-Qantara, Egypt.
He previously served in the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment in Iraq, was ordained in Beirut in 1946, and acted as chaplain for Polish Military Hospital No. 8 in El-Qantara, Egypt.
General George Patton and General Władysław Anders inspect troops of the #PolishIICorps Military Police during Patton's visit to Qassasin, Egypt.
December 23, 1943
December 23, 1943
August 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
General George Patton and General Władysław Anders inspect troops of the #PolishIICorps Military Police during Patton's visit to Qassasin, Egypt.
December 23, 1943
December 23, 1943
#OTD in 1944, just 2 months after the Battle of Monte Cassino, the Polish II Corps liberated the Adriatic port city of Ancona in an autonomous operation commanded by General Władysław Anders.
July 18, 2025 at 11:10 AM
#OTD in 1944, just 2 months after the Battle of Monte Cassino, the Polish II Corps liberated the Adriatic port city of Ancona in an autonomous operation commanded by General Władysław Anders.
Eufrosinia Kersnovskaya was deported by the USSR from Bessarabia in 1941; her memoirs include gulag testimony accompanied by hundreds of drawings and paintings that documented her time in the USSR.
July 11, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Eufrosinia Kersnovskaya was deported by the USSR from Bessarabia in 1941; her memoirs include gulag testimony accompanied by hundreds of drawings and paintings that documented her time in the USSR.
Polish exiles gather in Isfahan, Iran, to mourn General W. Sikorski, who died on July 4, 1943, when his plane crashed into the sea after takeoff from Gibraltar.
Isfahan was the location for boarding schools that housed Polish orphans/children evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy.
Isfahan was the location for boarding schools that housed Polish orphans/children evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy.
July 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Polish exiles gather in Isfahan, Iran, to mourn General W. Sikorski, who died on July 4, 1943, when his plane crashed into the sea after takeoff from Gibraltar.
Isfahan was the location for boarding schools that housed Polish orphans/children evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy.
Isfahan was the location for boarding schools that housed Polish orphans/children evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy.
Following inspections of #AndersArmy in the Middle East, Gen. Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister & Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, died #OTD in 1943 when his plane crashed into the sea after takeoff from Gibraltar.
(“Polska Walcząca”, July 10, 1943)
(“Polska Walcząca”, July 10, 1943)
July 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Following inspections of #AndersArmy in the Middle East, Gen. Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister & Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, died #OTD in 1943 when his plane crashed into the sea after takeoff from Gibraltar.
(“Polska Walcząca”, July 10, 1943)
(“Polska Walcząca”, July 10, 1943)
Deported by the USSR to the Komi ASSR, these Polish exiles were assigned to forced labor in a sewing workshop. 1941.
The photo comes from the collection of D. Rabinowitz, whose parents were deported to #Komi on June 29, 1940.
The photo comes from the collection of D. Rabinowitz, whose parents were deported to #Komi on June 29, 1940.
June 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Deported by the USSR to the Komi ASSR, these Polish exiles were assigned to forced labor in a sewing workshop. 1941.
The photo comes from the collection of D. Rabinowitz, whose parents were deported to #Komi on June 29, 1940.
The photo comes from the collection of D. Rabinowitz, whose parents were deported to #Komi on June 29, 1940.
#OTD in 1940, the USSR began the third wave of deportations from Polish eastern borderlands occupied by the Soviets on Sept. 17, 1939.
This deportation targeted Polish civilians who fled from western to eastern Poland following the German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939.
This deportation targeted Polish civilians who fled from western to eastern Poland following the German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939.
June 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
#OTD in 1940, the USSR began the third wave of deportations from Polish eastern borderlands occupied by the Soviets on Sept. 17, 1939.
This deportation targeted Polish civilians who fled from western to eastern Poland following the German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939.
This deportation targeted Polish civilians who fled from western to eastern Poland following the German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939.
Polish soldiers and scouts celebrate Corpus Christi with a procession through the streets of Jaffa, Palestine. 1944.
#BożeCiało
#BożeCiało
June 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Polish soldiers and scouts celebrate Corpus Christi with a procession through the streets of Jaffa, Palestine. 1944.
#BożeCiało
#BożeCiało
#DzieńMatki
The camps in Tehran for Polish civilians evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy included a house for mothers.
Dom Matek. Tehran, Shelter #2.
May 5, 1943.
The camps in Tehran for Polish civilians evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy included a house for mothers.
Dom Matek. Tehran, Shelter #2.
May 5, 1943.
May 26, 2025 at 6:36 PM
#DzieńMatki
The camps in Tehran for Polish civilians evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy included a house for mothers.
Dom Matek. Tehran, Shelter #2.
May 5, 1943.
The camps in Tehran for Polish civilians evacuated from the USSR with #AndersArmy included a house for mothers.
Dom Matek. Tehran, Shelter #2.
May 5, 1943.
Polish exiles march in an anti-communist demonstration in London. April 1956.
A poster (at right) shows an image of emaciated Polish children captioned "What harm have these children done to Soviet Russia?".
The banner reads in part:"We will only return to free and independent Poland."
A poster (at right) shows an image of emaciated Polish children captioned "What harm have these children done to Soviet Russia?".
The banner reads in part:"We will only return to free and independent Poland."
May 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Polish exiles march in an anti-communist demonstration in London. April 1956.
A poster (at right) shows an image of emaciated Polish children captioned "What harm have these children done to Soviet Russia?".
The banner reads in part:"We will only return to free and independent Poland."
A poster (at right) shows an image of emaciated Polish children captioned "What harm have these children done to Soviet Russia?".
The banner reads in part:"We will only return to free and independent Poland."
#OTD 80 years ago, the Polish II Corps liberated Bologna as part of an Allied offensive against German forces in Italy.
Photo: Gen. Klemens Rudnicki (left) shakes hands with Gen. Mark Clark while locals greet them in Bologna.
Photo: Gen. Klemens Rudnicki (left) shakes hands with Gen. Mark Clark while locals greet them in Bologna.
April 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
#OTD 80 years ago, the Polish II Corps liberated Bologna as part of an Allied offensive against German forces in Italy.
Photo: Gen. Klemens Rudnicki (left) shakes hands with Gen. Mark Clark while locals greet them in Bologna.
Photo: Gen. Klemens Rudnicki (left) shakes hands with Gen. Mark Clark while locals greet them in Bologna.
April 19, 2025 at 11:18 AM
#OTD in 1942, the cover of the second issue of “The Voice of Poland” featured the formation of #AndersArmy in the USSR.
Published in Glasgow by Jadwiga Harasowska, the periodical presented Polish affairs to a Scottish audience in order to further ties between the two communities.
Published in Glasgow by Jadwiga Harasowska, the periodical presented Polish affairs to a Scottish audience in order to further ties between the two communities.
April 18, 2025 at 12:25 AM
#OTD in 1942, the cover of the second issue of “The Voice of Poland” featured the formation of #AndersArmy in the USSR.
Published in Glasgow by Jadwiga Harasowska, the periodical presented Polish affairs to a Scottish audience in order to further ties between the two communities.
Published in Glasgow by Jadwiga Harasowska, the periodical presented Polish affairs to a Scottish audience in order to further ties between the two communities.
Deportees also suffered from starvation and disease while in exile.
Photo: Along with his mother and aunt, Jerzy Fedak (ctr) visits the graves of his grandparents; all were deported in April 1940 to the Kazakh SSR. 1942.
(Records indicate that Jerzy entered an orphanage in 1944.)
Photo: Along with his mother and aunt, Jerzy Fedak (ctr) visits the graves of his grandparents; all were deported in April 1940 to the Kazakh SSR. 1942.
(Records indicate that Jerzy entered an orphanage in 1944.)
April 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Deportees also suffered from starvation and disease while in exile.
Photo: Along with his mother and aunt, Jerzy Fedak (ctr) visits the graves of his grandparents; all were deported in April 1940 to the Kazakh SSR. 1942.
(Records indicate that Jerzy entered an orphanage in 1944.)
Photo: Along with his mother and aunt, Jerzy Fedak (ctr) visits the graves of his grandparents; all were deported in April 1940 to the Kazakh SSR. 1942.
(Records indicate that Jerzy entered an orphanage in 1944.)
The April 1940 deportees were forcibly resettled among the local population in Kazakhstan where they worked alongside Soviet citizens on collective and state farms.
Their labor included fieldwork as well as taking care of livestock such as pigs, sheep, and cattle. (1941 photo)
Their labor included fieldwork as well as taking care of livestock such as pigs, sheep, and cattle. (1941 photo)
April 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
The April 1940 deportees were forcibly resettled among the local population in Kazakhstan where they worked alongside Soviet citizens on collective and state farms.
Their labor included fieldwork as well as taking care of livestock such as pigs, sheep, and cattle. (1941 photo)
Their labor included fieldwork as well as taking care of livestock such as pigs, sheep, and cattle. (1941 photo)
Many of those deported on April 13 were family members of the Polish officers, policemen, and intelligentsia who were executed by the USSR in the Katyń massacre; 70 - 80% of those included in this deportation were women & children.
Photo: Ewa & Anna Urbańska in Kazakhstan, 1941.
Photo: Ewa & Anna Urbańska in Kazakhstan, 1941.
April 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Many of those deported on April 13 were family members of the Polish officers, policemen, and intelligentsia who were executed by the USSR in the Katyń massacre; 70 - 80% of those included in this deportation were women & children.
Photo: Ewa & Anna Urbańska in Kazakhstan, 1941.
Photo: Ewa & Anna Urbańska in Kazakhstan, 1941.
#OTD 85 years ago, the USSR began the second WWII mass deportation of civilians from Poland's eastern borderlands occupied by the Soviets on Sept. 17, 1939.
Polish citizens were deported by the USSR in four waves that occurred from Feb. 10, 1940 through mid-June 1941.
Polish citizens were deported by the USSR in four waves that occurred from Feb. 10, 1940 through mid-June 1941.
April 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
#OTD 85 years ago, the USSR began the second WWII mass deportation of civilians from Poland's eastern borderlands occupied by the Soviets on Sept. 17, 1939.
Polish citizens were deported by the USSR in four waves that occurred from Feb. 10, 1940 through mid-June 1941.
Polish citizens were deported by the USSR in four waves that occurred from Feb. 10, 1940 through mid-June 1941.
In 1942, a Christmas party for Polish children in London included attendees President Raczkiewicz, Deputy PM Mikołajczyk, & Elżbieta Korfantowa.
The Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar - who earlier that year agreed to host Polish orphans at #Balachadi – also showed up.
The Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar - who earlier that year agreed to host Polish orphans at #Balachadi – also showed up.
December 25, 2024 at 12:53 PM
In 1942, a Christmas party for Polish children in London included attendees President Raczkiewicz, Deputy PM Mikołajczyk, & Elżbieta Korfantowa.
The Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar - who earlier that year agreed to host Polish orphans at #Balachadi – also showed up.
The Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar - who earlier that year agreed to host Polish orphans at #Balachadi – also showed up.
Arrested in Sept. 1939, W. Trawiński survived the Kozielsk, Ponoj, and Suzdal prison camps in the USSR prior to joining #AndersArmy in Sept. 1941.
His first Christmas in the UK was celebrated at a Polish resettlement camp for the 2nd Warsaw Gendarmerie Squadron. 🇵🇱🇬🇧
#OTD 1946
His first Christmas in the UK was celebrated at a Polish resettlement camp for the 2nd Warsaw Gendarmerie Squadron. 🇵🇱🇬🇧
#OTD 1946
December 24, 2024 at 2:57 PM
Arrested in Sept. 1939, W. Trawiński survived the Kozielsk, Ponoj, and Suzdal prison camps in the USSR prior to joining #AndersArmy in Sept. 1941.
His first Christmas in the UK was celebrated at a Polish resettlement camp for the 2nd Warsaw Gendarmerie Squadron. 🇵🇱🇬🇧
#OTD 1946
His first Christmas in the UK was celebrated at a Polish resettlement camp for the 2nd Warsaw Gendarmerie Squadron. 🇵🇱🇬🇧
#OTD 1946
#OTD in 1942 at the Polish Red Cross in Tehran, St. Nicholas visited Polish children who were released from Soviet captivity and evacuated with #AndersArmy from the USSR to Iran.
#WWII #Mikołajki
#WWII #Mikołajki
December 6, 2024 at 8:14 PM
#OTD in 1942 at the Polish Red Cross in Tehran, St. Nicholas visited Polish children who were released from Soviet captivity and evacuated with #AndersArmy from the USSR to Iran.
#WWII #Mikołajki
#WWII #Mikołajki
Following the first wave of #AndersArmy evacuations from the Soviet Union to Iran, General Anders and several officers encounter a Polish street sign in Tehran that indicates the distance to Warsaw.
April 1942
April 1942
November 25, 2024 at 3:59 AM
Following the first wave of #AndersArmy evacuations from the Soviet Union to Iran, General Anders and several officers encounter a Polish street sign in Tehran that indicates the distance to Warsaw.
April 1942
April 1942