A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
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A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
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Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#2Some other good articles on Pilecki: [1] [2]
Of his imprisonment under the Soviets he told his wife:
"I cannot live. They killed me. Because compared to them Auschwitz was just a trifle."
[1] - http://www.poloniainstitute.net/witold-pilecki-bravery-beyon...
[2] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/story-of-the-m...
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#3Some other good articles on Pilecki: [1] [2] Of his imprisonment under the Soviets he told his wife: "I cannot live. They killed me. Because compared to them Auschwitz was just a trifle." [1] - http://www.poloniainstitute.net/witold-pilecki-bravery-beyon... [2] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/story-of-the-m...
Yes, soviet (actually Russian) atrocities were far worse, yet we have to struggle every day to put equals sign between NAZI and Soviets
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#4Some other good articles on Pilecki: [1] [2] Of his imprisonment under the Soviets he told his wife: "I cannot live. They killed me. Because compared to them Auschwitz was just a trifle." [1] - http://www.poloniainstitute.net/witold-pilecki-bravery-beyon... [2] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/story-of-the-m...
It never ceases to shock and disappoint me the depravity that humanity can sink to.
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#5Some other good articles on Pilecki: [1] [2] Of his imprisonment under the Soviets he told his wife: "I cannot live. They killed me. Because compared to them Auschwitz was just a trifle." [1] - http://www.poloniainstitute.net/witold-pilecki-bravery-beyon... [2] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/story-of-the-m...
Pilecki's report is available online: http://witoldsreport.blogspot.be/2008/05/volunteer-for-ausch...
He really was quite an amazing individual.
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#6It’s amazing how quickly our Russian allies turned into our Cold War enemies at the end of WWII. I’ve heard a lot of blame on both sides, the US stockpiling arms, McCarthyism fanning the flames. But the end of this story drives home just how brutal Russia was. A wwii hero who not only deliberately went to Auschwitz for three years, organized prisoners, compiled intelligence reports, then escaped and fought bravely for the resistance in Warsaw and somehow survives it all ends up getting tortured and killed by Russians a few years after the war.
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#7Some other good articles on Pilecki: [1] [2] Of his imprisonment under the Soviets he told his wife: "I cannot live. They killed me. Because compared to them Auschwitz was just a trifle." [1] - http://www.poloniainstitute.net/witold-pilecki-bravery-beyon... [2] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/story-of-the-m...
Sadly, Pilecki was killed by the fellow Poles, not by Soviet Russians. The article you quoted makes goes even as far as to distort the reality:
> His Soviet prosecutor, Czesław Łapiński, died on the way to the hospital, before his trial for judicial murder.
This person wasn't Soviet - he was a Pole, born in Silesia, a Polish soldier fighting the Nazi. I know it's more convenient to portray it as "the Russians were guilty of all wrong", but the reality is that during the Stalinist rule many atrocities were committed by Poles on Poles.
This point o view is actually present in the official version of the history as taught in many countries, with a notable exception of Germany: one's own country is always portrayed at its best, and its citizens as good fellows. The idea that one's ancestors might commit many atrocious crimes is terrifying. Yet, it is often the case. In this particular situation, some people were motivated by greed, some by their survival instinct, but some were just firm believers in Communism and were convinced they do the right thing. To them, Pilecki was just a bandit and a traitor. It's important to be aware of that, because this lesson from the past has bearing on present and future, for whoever is able to reason and draw conclusions.
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#8It’s amazing how quickly our Russian allies turned into our Cold War enemies at the end of WWII. I’ve heard a lot of blame on both sides, the US stockpiling arms, McCarthyism fanning the flames. But the end of this story drives home just how brutal Russia was. A wwii hero who not only deliberately went to Auschwitz for three years, organized prisoners, compiled intelligence reports, then escaped and fought bravely fo…
The alliance with Stalin was always one of convenience, not of shared values. The Soviet Union was at war with Germany, so on that basis Churchill and Roosevelt were happy to have their help. They were never really on the same side otherwise.
Re: A Man Who Volunteered for Auschwitz (2012)
#9It’s amazing how quickly our Russian allies turned into our Cold War enemies at the end of WWII. I’ve heard a lot of blame on both sides, the US stockpiling arms, McCarthyism fanning the flames. But the end of this story drives home just how brutal Russia was. A wwii hero who not only deliberately went to Auschwitz for three years, organized prisoners, compiled intelligence reports, then escaped and fought bravely fo…
This is a bone of contention and a heavily discussed subject, because the world is not a black-and-white place. The Red Army was indeed a savior. It is thanks to those masses of poor soldiers, of which eight millions died, that the horror of WWII last only five years or so. All Europe and all world indeed should be grateful to them.
On the other hand, there was the Stalinist regime, ruthless rule, killing one's own people and others - for power and control. Whenever someone makes any judgement about Russians, they make a generalizing mistake. On top of that, I'd be very careful when making judgements about people's behaviors in extreme situations, it's quite easy to make that at a distance.