Związek Patriotów Polskich w Szwecji (1943–1947)
The Union of Polish Patriots in Sweden (1943–1947)

Summary/Abstract: The Union of Polish Patriots (ZPP) in Sweden assembled a group of Polish communists, who found themselves in Sweden during the Second World War. The organizations work can be divided into three periods. As from mid 1943 at least, an informal group of Polish communists, supported by the Soviet legation in Stockholm, started spreading propaganda, which fought the Polish Government in Exile, amongst the Polish refugees. The Republic of Poland’s Legation trivialised it’s activities for a long time. The creation of the Polish Committee for National Independence (PKWN) in July 1944 was the turning point. That is when the Union of Polish Patriots officially inaugurated its activities and gained the acceptance of Swedish authorities. It became the actual representative of the Polish Committee for National Independence, later the Temporary Government, although they only made contact with the “Lublin authorities” in October 1944. The Union of Polish Patriots developed widespread organisational and propaganda initiatives. It published a simple news bulletin, organised meetings, registered refugees before their expected repatriation and vainly tried to recruit them to Berling’s army. The aim was to create a political centre which would compete with The Republic of Poland’s Legation, which represented the Polish Government in Exile and the local Polish community. It seemed that with the Swedish authorities” passive attitude the Union of Polish Patriots might become an equipollent centre to the Legation.

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