85 years ago, on the night of February 9-10, 1940, the first mass deportation of Poles to Siberia and Kazakhstan began. In Bialystok, flowers were laid at the monument to the heroic mothers of Siberia in honor of the victims.
“85 years ago, the first deportation of Poles to Siberia began. There were also people of other nationalities in this group. In this difficult situation that has developed beyond our eastern border, when there is a war in Ukraine, access to archives located in Belarus and Russia is closed,” says museum director Wojciech Sleszynski.
“My family was affected by it too. My grandmother and aunt were taken out, but fortunately they returned. But the parents, running away, lost a child-my sister, who fell ill and died. My uncle was also taken out and subsequently joined Anders’ army. And he also did not return to Poland,” said Jan Slusarczyk, a participant in the commemorative celebrations, a representative of the Siberian family.
Traditional candles of remembrance were lit at the Museum of Memory of Siberia, and the facade of the building itself was illuminated with red and white light. During the ceremonies, fragments of the deportees’ memories were read out, which expressed the pain of loss, memories of the tragedy of deportations, the struggle for survival and sadness for their native places.
