PINK HOT SYMBOL OF THE POLICE TRAGED IN CRESSES II
Professor Grzegorz Hryciuk – PAP interview
Huta Pieniacka (ukr. Гута Пеняцька) is simply a village, now non-existent, located in Ukraine, in the territory of Gmina Pieniaki, in the Lviv region, from 1919 to 1945[1] in Poland, from December 1920 in Tarnopolskie Voivodeship, in the administrative territory of Gmina Pieniaki.
Pieniacka Huta lies 5 km northwest of
The pie.
POLAKO POLAKO
A monument of Poles murdered in Pieniacka Huta.
The cross with the stone plates on which the names of the victims were carved.
ATROX GENOCIDUM
The crime in Huta Pieniacka can be treated as a symbol of the tragedy of the Polish community in the east Borders," says prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk of the University of Wrocław.
UKRAIN DIVISION SS GALIZIEN
14th Division of Grenadiers Waffen SS (1 Ukrainian) uk. 14-та Стрілецька Зброї СС, mute. 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (ukrainische Nr. 1, colloquially referred to in Poland as the 14th Waffen SS-Galizien Division[6] besides called SS Halyczyn) is simply a military unit formed in the spring of 1943 by the 3rd German Reich of Ukrainian volunteers from Galicia. The organization of the division from the German side was under the patronage of the politician of Galicia General of the Governorate – Otto von Wächter, while from the Ukrainian side the political background was the Ukrainian Central Committee in Krakow led by prof. Volodymyr Kubiowych and OUN-M activists.
On 28 February 1944 in the village of Huta Pieniacka in east Galicia, the 14th SS Police Regiment composed of Ukrainian volunteers to the SS Division “Galizen” murdered 600 to 1,100 Poles.
PAP: Why did the Ukrainian nationalists take extermination action against the Polish population in east Galicia much later than in Volyn, where the genocide of Poles occurred in 1943?
Prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk: hold in the launch of the "anti-Polish action", due to the fact that specified a name was utilized by Ukrainian nationalists in their reports and reports, due to the comparative weakness of armed nationalist troops in the region until the end of 1943.
The presence of German police and military forces in the Galicia territory of the General Government besides had a crucial influence than in Volyn. possibly the presence of Poles at the Southeast Borders had more influence. In Volyn in 1942, Poles accounted for about 14 percent of the population. There were nearly 25 percent of them in east Galicia. Poles were stronger than in Volyn. It was besides of any importance that the forces of the Polish Underground State were stronger in Galicia than in Volyn, but inactive not adequate to prevent attacks.
In 1943, nationalist forces in east Galicia were only organizing. At the time, they were not even called the Ukrainian Insurgency Army.
In any of the CNS's leadership circles, UPA was even considered to have compromised itself with an “anti-Polish action” in 1943. However, it was a number opinion. Most considered it to be alternatively a conflict baptism for UPA troops. Ukrainian troops in east Galicia came under the name UNS Ukrainian People's (National) Self-defense. In 1944, they became formally UPA.
It seems that 40 to 70 1000 Poles died in Volyn. In east Galicia, i.e. in the areas of Tarnopolskie, Stanislawów and Lwowskie voivodships (without its part, which was part of the People's Poland and Lublin), the number of victims could scope 20-25 thousand.
However, it is worth remembering that crimes on specified a large and terrible scale in east Galicia were committed only in 1944, but already in the erstwhile year, under the influence of events in Volyn, there was an increase in the activity of Ukrainian nationalists resulting in an increase in the number of attacks on Poles.
However, they had a different character than Volyn. In east Galicia they were targeted at individual Poles, for example people employed in administration. Large-scale murders occurred only at the turn of 1943 and 1944.
They were inactive rather common during the war. The number of specified household relationships later led to immense tragedies, but during this period this could inactive hamper the actions of Ukrainian nationalists.
In my opinion, applicable to the aforementioned "delay" of crime compared to those
The fact that there were divisions in east Galicia was besides made in Volyn
Nationals weren't as strong as Volyn. The evidence of this is, among another things, a large scale
the phenomena of mixed Polish-Ukrainian and Catholic-Greek-Catholic marriages.
PAP: Did the National Army realise the preparations of Ukrainian nationalists for crimes in east Galicia?
Prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk: Crimes in Volyn were a surprise for the AK, although the panic of Ukrainian nationalists was seen increasing. The first mass execution occurred in Parosla on 9 February 1943. However, specified a large wave of crime was not expected, which occurred in the summertime of 1943. The experience from Volyn had to be taken into account by the Polish community in east Galicia and the command of the AK and the authorities of the Polish Underground State. It should be recalled that respective tens of thousands of refugees from Volyn are in the territory of the General Government, including Przemysl and Lviv. Poles in Galicia were so confronted with their stories about the massacres of Poles in Volyn.
Although crimes on specified a large and monstrous scale in east Galicia were committed only in 1944, in the erstwhile year, as a consequence of events in Volyn, there was an increase in activity of Ukrainian nationalists resulting in an increase in the number of attacks on Poles. However, they had a different character than Volyn.
In east Galicia they were targeted at individual Poles, for example people employed in administration. Large-scale murders occurred only at the turn of 1943 and 1944.
The emergence of Polish-Ukrainian antagonism has been felt since 1939. In September 1939, there were Soviets or Ukrainian nationalists provoked against Poles. After German aggression against the USSR in 1941, attempts were made to establish a nationalist Ukrainian state. 1 of the methods of action of its creators was to be to mark panic in Poles. However, it did not take on a scale known from 1943 to 1944.
PAP: Did Ukrainian nationalists presume that during the execution of these crimes it would happen as in Huta Pieniacka to close cooperation between German and nationalist forces?
Professor Grzegorz Hryciuk: The incidental nature of this cooperation was clearly visible. It occurred mainly erstwhile Ukrainian auxiliary police units were operating in the area. Gendarmeria and Wehrmacht did not interact with Ukrainian nationalist underground troops. Of course, Germany tried to usage these troops to fight the Polish and russian guerrilla undergrounds. During the winter of 1944, during talks between SS and SD officers of the Galicia territory and representatives of the CNS management, the issue of attacks on Poles was discussed in large detail. The Germans demanded that they be stopped. Of course, the reason was not sympathy for the Polish population, but the fact that these crimes caused the emergence of chaos in the areas which in that period had already become a direct base of the German-Soviet fighting front. The Ukrainian side sought to scope an agreement with Germany, including waiting for the arms essential to fight the russian troops, but besides declared that it would not halt attacks on Poles.
In talks with Germany, Ukrainian nationalists claimed that they were a consequence to the actions of Polish troops.
PAP: The symbol of genocide in east Galicia is simply a crime in Pieniacka Huta.
Prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk: Mord in Pieniacka's Huta is simply a case of 1 of the largest murders carried out by German police troops consisting of Ukrainian volunteers who wanted to scope the SS Galizien Division and local OUN militias and an unidentified UPA branch, which according to witnesses was to arrive from Volyn.
This crime can so be treated as a symbol of the tragedy of the Polish community in the east Borders.
Its prologue was the appearance in the village where the strong institution of Polish self-defense was located, on 23 February 1944 a division of the 4th SS Police Regiment, commanded by the Sturmbannfuehrer SS Siegfried Binz. Taking police officers as disguises, Polish self-defense attacked patrol. 2 Ukrainian police officers were killed as a consequence of the clash, whose ceremony took on a manifestational character.
On 28 February 1944, police units entered the village starting a bloody pacification. During the night of the war, members of same - defence retreated into the forest. The village was vulnerable. Residents were driven out of their homes directing them to the chapel. That's where the selection started. any people were brought to the cemetery and shot there. Most, including women and children, were driven to barns and houses that were set on fire. The crime was committed by 600 to 800 people (by any estimates of up to 1,100 people), including 250 permanent villagers and respective 100 refugees from Volyn and surrounding villages.
The village was completely destroyed, 168 farms burned down, only a chapel and school buildings survived.
The execution in Pieniacka Huta is simply a case of 1 of the largest murders committed by German police troops consisting of Ukrainian volunteers. This crime can so be treated as a symbol of the tragedy of the Polish community in the east Borders.
PAP: In mid-1944 russian troops entered east Galicia. any Poles then joined russian Istriebitial Battalions called pursuit or destructive. What was this formation and how much service in it was motivated by the Poles' desire to defend themselves against Ukrainian attacks?
Prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk: On re-incarcerated areas in the russian Union, the biggest problem for the russian authorities was the Ukrainian nationalist underground absolutely fighting the returning authorities of the hated state. 1 of the tools to fight the Ukrainian underground was the IB troops consisting of local population and led by an NKVD officer.
Within each territory (the equivalent of the county) the designation is to form 1 IB battalion. In fact, they did not scope specified a large number and usually consisted of a 100 twelve soldiers. In the confederate part of east Galicia, it consisted mostly of Poles. They were to safe the infrastructure and centres of power, but besides to participate in the pursuit of troops of Ukrainian nationalists.
In addition to IB battalions, alleged Co-operation Groups were established, located in individual villages. So they were nothing but a kind of self-defense legalized by the russian authorities. Entering them, under the supervision of a local russian officer, it was possible to legalize the weapons held in order to defend their own lives and property. Co-operation groups served exclusively to defend Polish villages. The IB was more frequently utilized for more offensive activities. So it happened that the russian authorities utilized Polish troops to search Ukrainian villages. erstwhile the hatred spiral had already started and among the soldiers of these formations were those who lost their loved ones in crimes committed by Ukrainians or survived the nightmare of their assault on their village there were cases of revenge attempts. The reports of Ukrainian troops from the attacks on Polish villages in the autumn of 1944 and winter and in the spring of 1945 stated that no longer all Poles were attacked due to the fact that 1 of the orders of the UPA command bans it, but only those who cooperate with the russian safety apparatus. Nevertheless, women and children mostly died in the attacks during this period. The presence in the villages of the Co-operation Groups was a justification for the crimes committed.
PAP: How many Poles died as a consequence of the genocide committed in east Galicia by Ukrainian nationalists?
prof. Grzegorz Hryciuk: Unfortunately, making specified estimates is very difficult. There are frequently missing messages about these events. Of any of the smallest towns no of the residents survived or no 1 left a relationship.
It seems that 40 to 70 1000 Poles died in Volyn. In east Galicia, i.e. in the areas of Tarnopolskie, Stanislawów and Lwowskie voivodships (without its part, which was part of the People's Poland and Lublin), the number of victims could scope 20-25 thousand. In the end environments, the figures are much higher, but they do not yet find very strong origin bases.
Talked to Michał Szukała ( Dzieje.pl, 28.02.2017)
Development of the interview by Aleksander Szumański “Kurier” Chicago
Date: 06.09.2023, 02:55
Category: Economy
Tags: #UN-UPA
