Legenda Kresów

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Edward Prus nota biograficzna

56 lat temu Organizacja Ukraińskich Nacjonalistów (OUN) i jej zbrojna formacja Ukraińska Powstańcza Armia (UPA) dokonały eksterminacji ludności polskiej na Wołyniu, mordując około 60 tysięcy Polaków niezależnie od wieku i płci, tj. mężczyzn, kobiet, dzieci, starców - tylko dlatego, że byli Polakami. Całe wsie i kolonie polskie wraz wraz z ich mieszkańcami poznikały z powierzchni ziemi. Dobytek ofiar był grabiony, a gospodarstwa palone. Ci, którzy ocaleli, a zwłaszcza dzieci - sieroty, będący świadkami mordowania najbliższych do dziś nie otrząsnęli się z bólu, nie odzyskali wewnętrznej równowagi. Ofiarami byli także duchowni kościoła katolickiego.

Jan Michalewski

The new book in English shall be published in 1999
(Legenda Kresów)

E D W A R D    P R U S

L E G E N D
O F    E U R O P E A N    E A S T    F R O N T I E R

S C O U T S
I N    T H E    S T R U G G L E    W I T H    U P A

Poland is a special Mother. Uneasy has been Her life, esgecially within the frame of the last few cenntries. She is a Mother, who had suffered very; much in the past. Even at present, she is exposed to great distress. Therefore she has - the right to our peculiar love. The Pope - John Paul II
	Motherland - this is the land and the graves. Nations who have forgotten it - have perished. Stanislaw Witkiewicz Poet & Painter 1885-1939
Motto: Whoever lived through the period of 1939-1944 and had been a keen observer - he knows, how powerful are the historical models ... He, who had personal contact with the scouts of "Szare Szeregi" (the Grey Ranks) and saw happiness in those young eyes shining with pride for being able to continue the nation's great, legendary traditions - he shall never forget them. Witold Kula, "Meditation over the History"

F 0 R E W 0 R D

      The defeat of the second World War Compaign in September 1939 did not terminate activities of the Polish scout organizations, not even interrupted it briefly. The activities continued in all three occupied zones of Poland partitioned by the Soviets, Germans and Lithuanians. In dramatic proof of this was "Mlody Las" (The Young Forest) in Soviet occupied Seret Valley in the Tarnopol region. Some youth organizations assumed their activities spontaneously, led by patriotic fervour, others were revitalized by direct orders from Warsaw's "Pasieka" (Apiary), or Lwow's "Ule" (Bee-Hives).
      "Dolina Seretu" swarmed with scout units under German occupation. Ranks and files were revitalized in Zalozce, Zborow, Tarnopol, Trembowla, Czortkow, Grodek near the Dniepr River... Some assumed other naines, changed patrons. The main goal was the continuation of study and training as well as rendering "services" for the Polish Underground Army such as: reconnaissance, liaison, observation, and small scale sabotage. They realized the program of "Today-Tomorrow-Day after Tomorrow" as effectlvely as they were able to, being under close watch by Ukrainian nationalists, who were collaborating with both Soviets and Germans occupants.
      This peculiar form of education established for the Gray Troops, that is, participation in the struggle and work training in "Dzis" [Today), participation in "Jutro" (Tomorrow) for the most important times of "Pojutrze" (The day after Tomorrow), became primary goals. The "Szare Szeregi" (Grey ranks scouts) became a movement as well as youth organization. In Zalozce, within their means, they used action "M", which was an exertion of influence on the youth not yet organized in "Szare Szeregi" (Grey ranks scouts) in order to promote the patriotic ideals among them.
      This was how the "foriginal struggle" occurred under protection of the Polish National Underground Army AK. The real struggle, the struggle for life and death, started after the second Soviet occupation of the Polish Eastern Provinces. Why did the scouts take up arms, an action so strange to the scouts' ideals- regardless of the fact that scouting did get its beginning in the war? The answer is simple - they had no choice. All men suited for military service were sent to the front to fight Germans. As a result, young Polish scouts faced - eye to eye - the most formidable enemy in Polish history, an enemy, whose atrocious cruelty and barbarian practices had exceeded those of the wild hordes of Genghis Khan. The scouts faced to an enemy who undeservingly called themselves the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). This militarily powerful and formidable band of cutthroats needed to be militarily opposed. But at the same time, the scouts needed to exercise great. prudence to avoid a conflict with Soviet authorities, which seemed to work hand in hand with Ukrainian nationalist in the process of destroying everything which was Polish. "Legenda Kresow" contains only the second phase of the scouts activities, gallant ones, abundant with victorious battles, with noble, courageous acts on one hand and with human tragedy, such as the agonies of the dying and mothers' heartbreaks on the other. This work does not portray the entire scope of activities of the youth organization in the Eastern Provinces, not even the whole Seret Valley territory, but merely one stronghold and its surrounding villages. Conspirational Scouting Groups of Young Combatants in Zalozce were the backbone which assembled "Orliki" (Young eagles) from Milno, "Krogulce" (Sparrow-hawks) from Troscianiec, "Sokoleta" (Young hawks) from Reniow and "Rabce" Rabce-hawksy ["Jastrzebieta" (Young hawks)] from Zalozce. It was the Home Army (AK) which gave a proper character to the youth organization and, at the same time, it established a specific role the young cadres played in a relationship with the Underground, which made them a cooperating unit and at the same time a subordinate one.
      When this protection was taken away, these younq scouts were forced to think and act independently in the midst of total indifference on the part of rest of Europe too preoccupied with the Big War. The youth used their reason well, fought valiantly, and entered into legend and human memories as worthy ancestors of the worthy "Polish Knights of the Steppe Strongholds".

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