Poznański Czerwiec 1956 roku w świetle badań nad stratami osobowymi
The Poznań June 1956 in the Light of Studies on Human Losses

Summary/Abstract: The Poznań June of 1956 is the most tragic event in the citys post-war history. The workers strike of an initially socio-economic character turned into armed riots of a political nature. The army entered the city. Within several hours 57 people were killed or died of wounds and there were nearly 600 casualties. Since then, these incidents have been the theme of numerous studies, books and articles. However, the literature of the subject often repeats the same myths, legends and obvious distortions or errors. The author of the article has been engaged for some years now in a study that sheds new light on many of the widely-held myths of the Poznań June 1956. He has managed to retrace the course of the decision-making process concerning the command to shoot and to solve the question of the so-called first shot. It was also possible to verify the number of fatal victims and the circumstances of their death (accidental in a majority of cases). An analysis of the circumstances of the death of Roman Strzałkowski was undertaken and the results differ markedly from the commonly accepted hagiographical legend. The Poznań June is still in demand of new literature, studies and syntheses. Anyone who claims that there is nothing more to write about is very much mistaken. It is only by publications representing adequate knowledge of the subject, firmly based on sources and a sound methodology, that we can sustain the memory of the events of the most tragic day in the history of Poznań. The various debates and discussions that such publications might generate will be a constructive influence on the state of our knowledge of the Poznań June of 1956.

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