War Fates of Polish Families Resettled from Their Homeland in 1944-1946

The Second World War had a damaging impact upon many Polish families. As a result of the decision carried out by the Allies, the Poles settled in the territory of the Second Polish Republic (Rzeczpospolita II) were forced to leave their homes. The tragic circumstances related to their expulsion, the difficult journey to other lands and conditions under which they were rebuilding their existence in a new, unknown land, were described in diaries and memoirs. In this paper the writer subjects these texts to a detailed analysis. The authors of the memoirs wanted to prevent their traditions and memories from falling into oblivion or getting lost in the past. The War forced over one million of Poles to leave Kresy (the eastern frontiers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). They moved mainly to the areas east of the Oder River (Odra) and the Lusatian Neisse River (Nysa Łużycka) – the territories handed over by Germany to Poland. This is where they started their new, post-war existence, facing the challenges of a new political system forced upon them by the Soviets. The work needed to rebuild what the war had destroyed required extraordinary efforts and sacrifice.