Tag: Poland

First-hand account of when eastern Poland became western Belarus. October 1939

January 13, 2019

On 1 September 1939 Germany invaded the western half of Poland. Just over two weeks later the Soviet Union invaded the eastern half and immediately began incorporating it in to the Soviet Union. Below is an extract of my book ‘Two Years in a Gulag’ describing the event using a Pleszak family first-hand, hand-written account … More First-hand account of when eastern Poland became western Belarus. October 1939

Architectural marvel or hideous eyesore: Sluice Leśniewo Górne?

November 18, 2018

The Masurian Lakeland (Pojezierze Mazurskie) is Poland’s equivalent to the English Lake District. Situated in the northeast of Poland it has over 200 lakes surrounded by farmland, forest, and meadows. It is spectacularly beautiful and not surprisingly a popular tourist destination. Historically though, it was part of the German Empire as East Prussia when it … More Architectural marvel or hideous eyesore: Sluice Leśniewo Górne?

Little known battles on the Eastern Front and the consequences of WW1 for Poland

September 17, 2018

The Great War was fought on a global and industrial scale, quite rightly having the title of the First World War. It was a new type of war, fought on a magnitude and with a military technology never previously seen and is fully deserving of all the research, media attention, and debate that it generates. … More Little known battles on the Eastern Front and the consequences of WW1 for Poland

From the Steppes of Russia to Monte Cassino – The brave history of the Polish 2nd Corps

April 5, 2018

May the 18th 2014 marked the 70th anniversary of the victory of the famous battle at the Monastery of Monte Cassino in Southern Italy in 1944. This highly significant battle and one of the most important allied victories of the war had by then been raging for nearly six months. Its capture from the German … More From the Steppes of Russia to Monte Cassino – The brave history of the Polish 2nd Corps