Polish Delegations in Kazakhstan During the Second World War in Documents of the Almaty and Semipalatinsk Archives

Abstract

Introduction. The article investigates the versatile activities of Polish diplomats on the example of the representative offices of the embassy of Poland (delegations) in Alma-Ata (Almaty) and Semipalatinsk (Semey). Documents in the Kazakhstani archives indicate the presence of nine delegations created during the war in Kazakhstan to facilitate the formation of the Polish army (Anders Army). Polish “delegates” – diplomats, military, civilian employees – helped to rescue the Poles from places of detention and settlements, to draw up their documents for further sending to the army. Materials. Documents of the “especially valuable” fund of the Semipalatinsk Archive (currently the Documentation Center of Modern History of the East Kazakhstan Region, Semey), which are put into scientific circulation for the first time, testify to the versatile activities of Polish delegations in a large space in the east of the country. Analysis and Results. Polish delegates organized not only military-political and consular issues, but also economic, social, humanitarian activities. Polish employees worked in contact with Soviet institutions. They provided social support to both the military and displaced, evacuated, orphans, and disabled people. The organization of orphanages and shelters for Polish children was carried out, including by the efforts of Polish diplomats. The Poles who returned after the war to their homeland organized societies of the so-called “sybyraki”. Today they act as a kind of bridge in relations between Kazakhstan and Poland.