Importance of Particular Groups of Objects in the Identification of Victims of the Katyn Massacre in the Case of Finds from Kharkiv

Abstract

The researchers have been focused increasingly on war crime archaeology in recent years, e.g. the most significant until now scientific and logistic achievements which were archaeological-exhumation works carried out 30 years ago, related to searching for mass hidden graves of Polish officers, policemen and other civil servants murdered in spring of 1940 by NKVD in Katyn, Kharkiv and Mednoye. These were the first survey researches performed abroad on such a huge scale by Polish archaeologists. Obtained information concerning exact burial locations, the number of victims, burial ground sizes and final identification of the method and murder weapon which contributed to confirmation, verification and completion of our knowledge included in documents concerning the truth of The Katyn Massacre. Experience gained and excavation methodology of those mass graves exploration was presented and reported in detail in numerous publications (Głosek 1995; 2001; 2011; 2021; Kola 1995; 1996; 1998; 2001; 2005; 2021; Młodziejowski 1995) outlining cognitive possibilities and research directions for future studies and challenges. One of the most important tasks was the victims identification which was possible thanks to objects found with the bodies. This article objective is to present new obtained knowledge, using particular types of objects (personal movable property) and their systematization. Moreover, the article authoress, also working on the restoration of these objects and deciphering inscriptions placed on them, wanted to indicate particular object groups significance in the victims identification.