Rola donosu w życiu Polaków zesłanych na Syberię po upadku powstania styczniowego

Abstract

After the fall of the January Uprising there were about 20,000. Poles in Siberia. The Russian administration and the Siberian communities were not prepared to receive such a large group of Poles. In many places, especially in the initial period of exile, there were various types of misunderstandings between the Poles and the Russian administration and the Siberian community. We learn about them from denunciations. The informers came from both exiles and the local Siberian population. There was a fundamental difference between these denunciations. Poles, writing denunciations on their compatriots, counted on a reduction in punishment or even on release. Everyone was disappointed. The Siberian population, in turn, in their denunciations to the administration of various levels, claimed that Poles were preparing a general-Siberian uprising in order to detach this part from Russia that the local administration was too lenient with Poles, especially with people of noble origin. Finally, it was reported that Poles were preparing arsonist attacks on Siberian cities. The authorities were also warned that if Poles lived in large communities there was a danger of polonization of Siberian communities. For a historian, denunciations are important in the process of recreating the life of Siberian exiles, especially in the aspect of mutual relations between the Poles and the local population.