In Lviv, the memory of the victims of Operation Vistula was honored
The memory of the victims of the 1947 repressions – the mass deportation of the Ukrainian population from the southeastern regions of Poland was commemorated today, April 28, in Lviv.
The commemorative gathering, attended by representatives of the authorities, deputies of the Lviv Regional Council, clergy, and public organizations, was held near the monument ‘To the Victims of the Deportations of Ukrainians in the 20th century.’
Historical Context of Operation Vistula
78 years ago, the military-political operation ‘Vistula’ began, lasting until July 29, 1947. With the support of the Soviet Union, the Polish communist regime deported 140 thousand Ukrainians from Lemkivshchyna, Kholmshchyna, Nadsiannia, and Podlasie. 315 civilians were arrested and sentenced, 173 ethnic Ukrainians were executed. About 10 thousand were deported after ‘Vistula’ in December 1947.
‘We gathered to honor the innocently killed Ukrainians. The action was carried out under the pretext of liquidating the formations of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in Zakerzonia. However, documents marked ‘secret’ spoke of the ‘final solution of the Ukrainian problem in Poland.’
From April to July 1947, the operational group ‘Vistula’ conducted 6357 combat actions, killed 1509 insurgents, destroyed 1178 bunkers and hideouts, and arrested nearly 2800 people from the civilian network of the OUN and UPA in Zakerzonia. 3936 suspected of collaborating with the UPA, including 823 women and 27 priests, were imprisoned in the Jaworzno concentration camp. As a result of torture, many imprisoned Ukrainians perished,’ stated Solomiia Rybotytska, Deputy Head of the Commission on Historical and Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the Lviv Regional Council, in her speech.
Commemorating the Memory
Together with the amateur choir ‘Nadsianie,’ representatives from the societies and associations ‘Kholmshchyna,’ ‘Lemkivshchyna,’ ‘Boykivshchyna,’ ‘Liubachivshchyna,’ ‘Nadsianie,’ and ‘Zakerzonia,’ attendees conducted a prayer service and laid candles and flowers at the monument to the victims of the deportations of Ukrainians.