Polish self defence in Volhynia

Polish Self Defence In Volhynia Bloody Sunday in Volhynia is marked yearly in remembrance of all the victims of the mass murders perpetrated by the OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) in Volhynia and eastern Poland during the Second World War. Bloody Sunday occurred on July 11 th, 1943 when over 180 Polish villages and churches (during mass) in Volhynia were attacked, one of the bloodiest days of the campaign. In which over 20,000 children, women and men were brutality. Starting in March of 1943 and continuing until the end of the Second World War in 1945, between 150,000 and 300,000 civilians were brutally murdered by the OUN and their military arm, the UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army). This campaign of terror was mainly targeted at the Poles, however Jews and other ethnicities were not spared. Ukrainians who objected to the OUN’s policies were also killed. When compared to the better known massacres in Kosovo, the OUN’s campaign was larger and more barbaric. The U.S. State Department’s estimate of 10,000 civilian executions for the Kosovo conflict is many times lesser than even the low estimates for the OUN’s campaign. Furthermore, the Serbs murdered mainly men while OUN also murdered women and children and babies. Last, the Serbs generally shot their victims while the OUN tortured their victims in unspeakable ways. Despite exceeding many modern mass murders in size and brutality, the general public, especially outside the Polish community, knows little about these atrocities. Part of the reason for this was the OUN’s attempt to cover up their crimes by hiding or burning the bodies of their victims. In certain cases they attempted to make it look like Soviet troops committed the murders. It did not help that the post war government in the area continued the cover up. Almost all of the information we have about these events today are from survivors who, despite all odds, were able to escape to tell their stories. Our modern society puts great value on respect for human dignity and tolerance. To be reminded of events in history where these values were ignored and the terrible consequence that resulted teaches us of their importance. Whenever history is covered up, as it was in this case, we lose a valuable opportunity to learn from it. Politicians and journalist have a special responsibility to communicate such events to the public, and to condemn any acts of wrong doing, the individuals who perpetrated them, as well as their organizations. This issue is being brought to your attention by members of the Alliance of the Polish Eastern Provinces. This organization was first formed in London, England by Poles who lost their homeland after the war, with Canadian branches forming later on. One of the goals of this organization is to communicate to the western world what occurred in Poland during the Second World War. As part of that, it has published a book called “Polish Self Defence in Volhynia”. The book contains a collection of witness accounts of the atrocities committed by the OUN in Volhynia and additional information on the topic. You can order this book by mailing to: Alliance of the Polish Eastern Provinces 206 Beverley Street Toronto, ON, M5T 1Z3 Canada