Opis
In her remarkable work, Halik Kochanski sheds light on the often-overlooked narrative of Poland and its people during World War II. Measured by almost any standard, the horrors faced by the citizens of Poland were unparalleled during the conflict. After the fall of its military forces in the autumn of 1939, Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, ceasing to exist as a sovereign entity. Throughout the war, millions of Polish lives were lost, with each stage bringing further devastation, from the mass execution at Treblinka to the brutal suppression of the Warsaw Uprising. The fate of Polish Jews was one of extermination, while Polish Christians were relegated to a semi-literate class of forced labor. Kochanski's compelling and innovative book is arguably the most critical missing piece in the historical documentation of World War II, capturing not only the trials of those who remained under occupation but also the stories of the millions who managed to flee.