Polish Military Units in the USSR and Polish Citizens' Attitude Thereto during World War II

Abstract

The article studies the alterations in the legal and social status of Polish citizens in the USSR prior to and following the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945). The author establishes reasons for Polish armies creation in the USSR between 1941 and 1943 and studies the process of Polish military units formation among which the army of Anders (1941–1942) and the army of Berling (1943–1945). He also analyzes archival data and memoirs on the attitude of Polish citizens towards armies formed in the USSR.

Keywords

• Вторая мировая война
• сталинские репрессии
• антигитлеровская коалиция
• польская армия в СССР
• армия В. Андерса
• первая польская пехотная дивизия им. Т. Костюшко
• армия З. Берлинга.