Victims of Stalin and Hitler : The Exodus of Poles and Balts to Britain

Annotation In contemporary Britain there are substantial ethnic minorities of Polish and Baltic origin, who arrived here shortly after World War II. Using official records and the words of survivors and their children, the author explores the reasons for their savage uprooting at the hands of Stalin and Hitler, their subsequent odysseys, and the reasons for their resettlement in Britain. This is a study of totalitarianism, political asylum, and the relationship of ethnic minorities to the host society, combining first-hand accounts with historical analysis Germany In 1945 Was Crammed With Millions Of People Displaced By War, Deportation, Nazi Slave Labour, And Flight Before The Advance Of The Red Army. Many Of Them, Including Poles And The Baltic Peoples Of Estonia, Latvia And Lithuania, Refused To Return To Their Communist-controlled Homelands. Simultaneously In Italy, The Middle East And Britain, There Were More Than 100,000 Polish Military Personnel Under British Command, Along With Their Dependents. Most Of These Were Survivors Of The One And A Half Million Poles Deported To Siberia By The Soviet Security Police. Based On Official Documents And The Words Of The Survivors And Their Children, This Book Describes The Brutal Uprooting Of These People, Their Subsequent Terrible Experiences In The Soviet And Nazi Forced Labour Camps And Prisons, And Their Ultimate Settlement In Britain.--jacket. 1. 'a Timeless And Magical World?' -- 2. Defeat -- 3. German Colonies -- 4. Soviet Fiefs -- 5. Deportations -- 6. Penal Camps And Settlements -- 7. Release -- 8. Soldiers And Refugees -- 9. 'midway To Nowhere' -- 10. Resettlement -- 11. Communities -- 12. Identities. Thomas Lane. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 238-268) And Index. Germany in 1945 was crammed with millions of people displaced by war, deportation, Nazi slave labour, and flight before the advance of the Red Army. Many of them, including Poles and the Baltic peoples of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, refused to return to their communist-controlled homelands. Simultaneously in Italy, the Middle East and Britain, there were more than 100,000 Polish military personnel under British command, along with their dependents. Most of these were survivors of the one and a half million Poles deported to Siberia by the Soviet security police. Based on official documents and the words of the survivors and their children, this book describes the brutal uprooting of these people, their subsequent terrible experiences in the Soviet and Nazi forced labour camps and prisons, and their ultimate settlement in Britain. Here the newcomers created communities, integrated into British life while attempting to preserve their cultures and identities, and experienced how ethnic minorities relate to the host society. Germany in 1945 was crammed with millions of people displaced by war, deportation, Nazi slave labour, and flight before the advance of the Red Army. Many of them, including Poles and the Baltic peoples of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, refused to return to their communist-controlled homelands. Simultaneously in Italy, the Middle East and Britain, there were more than 100,000 Polish military personnel under British command, along with their dependants. Most of these were survivors of the one and a half million Poles deported to Siberia by the Soviet security police. Based on official documents and the words of the survivors and their children, this book describes the brutal uprooting of these people, their subsequent terrible experiences in the Soviet and Nazi forced labour camps and prisons, and their ultimate settlement in Britain. Here the newcomers created communities, integrated into British life while attempting to preserve their cultures and identities, and experienced how ethnic minorities relate to the host society Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 9 Introduction......Page 14 1 'A Timeless and Magical World?'......Page 22 2 Defeat......Page 34 3 German Colonies......Page 46 4 Soviet Fiefs......Page 69 5 Deportations......Page 91 6 Penal Camps and Settlements......Page 109 7 Release......Page 127 8 Soldiers and Refugees......Page 150 9 'Midway to Nowhere'......Page 171 10 Resettlement......Page 192 11 Communities......Page 217 12 Identities......Page 237 Notes......Page 251 Bibliography......Page 273 B......Page 282 D......Page 284 F......Page 285 H......Page 286 L......Page 287 P......Page 288 R......Page 291 S......Page 292 U......Page 293 Z......Page 294 Cover 1 Contents 8 Foreword 9 Introduction 14 1 'A Timeless and Magical World?' 22 2 Defeat 34 3 German Colonies 46 4 Soviet Fiefs 69 5 Deportations 91 6 Penal Camps and Settlements 109 7 Release 127 8 Soldiers and Refugees 150 9 'Midway to Nowhere' 171 10 Resettlement 192 11 Communities 217 12 Identities 237 Notes 251 Bibliography 273 Index 282 A 282 B 282 C 284 D 284 E 285 F 285 G 286 H 286 I 287 J 287 K 287 L 287 M 288 N 288 O 288 P 288 R 291 S 292 T 293 U 293 V 294 W 294 Y 294 Z 294