“In the Best Case, a Legend…” Several Remarks on the Wartime Fate of Stanisław Basaj “Ryś” Cover Image

„Legenda w najlepszym wypadku…”. Kilka uwag na marginesie wojennych losów Stanisława Basaja „Rysia”
“In the Best Case, a Legend…” Several Remarks on the Wartime Fate of Stanisław Basaj “Ryś”

Author(s): Mariusz Zajączkowski
Subject(s): Military policy, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), History of Communism, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
Keywords: Stanisław Basaj “Ryś”; Polish–Ukrainian conflict in Zamość Region 1943– –1945; crimes against civilians; German occupation; “Lublim” Poland; Home Army; Peasants’ Battalions;

Summary/Abstract: The present article is an academic study on the wartime fate of Stanisław Basaj, nome de guerre “Ryś”, one of the best-known commanders of the Peasants’ Battalions guerrillas in the Lublin region. The author raises the issue of the conflict between Basaj and the Home Army and the Ukrainians in the Zamość region in 1943-1944/1945 and cooperation with the Soviet guerrillas in the final period of the German occupation and cooperation with the local Communist authorities after July 1944. At the same time, the article includes attempts at separating facts from myths that have been surrounding the figure of “Ryś” since the Polish People’s Republic. The figure is still a legend for many Polish residents of the Hrubieszów area and a villain for the local Ukrainians.

  • Issue Year: 29/2017
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 457-484
  • Page Count: 28
  • Language: Polish