Aleksandrów Kujawski internment camp
6 in Aleksandrów Kujawski was a Polish internment camp designated for soldiers of the Ukrainian People's Republic army.
Initially intended for three thousand soldiers, the camp housed 3,565 individuals at its peak within less than a year of existence, and over 3,000 internees for most of its operation.
An essential part of camp life was the cultural and religious activities conducted with the consent of the Polish authorities.
Consequently, the Polish authorities established a network of special internment camps, including one located about one and a half kilometers from the center of Aleksandrów Kujawski.
According to the Polish military authorities' plans, the camp was intended to house 3,000 people, a number that was reached within a week of its official opening.
This phenomenon intensified in the spring and summer of 1921 when many internees lost hope of another Polish-Soviet war, which they saw as their next opportunity to fight for Ukrainian independence.
[10] The Polish authorities did not take extensive measures to prevent escapes, and those who managed to find work usually received the right to stay permanently in their new locations.
[11] The Polish military authorities' description of the Aleksandrów camp dates back to when Russian internees inhabited the complex.
Therefore, upon arrival in December 1921, the internees had to remain in railway carriages, and the sick were transported to the hospital at Internment Camp No.
[10] Internees in Polish camps for the soldiers of the Ukrainian People's Army received food according to Table C, ranging from scale A to E, which meant a daily ration of 700 g of bread, 250 g of meat, 700 g of potatoes, 150 g of vegetables, spices, 2 portions of coffee, and 100 g of soap per month.
6 frequently faced challenges in supplying the expected quantities of provisions – meat and bread were often substituted with additional portions of potatoes and vegetables.
[17] Starting in late February of that year, lectures were organized on topics such as the history and geography of Ukraine, the Ukrainian language, and broader political and moral issues.
The newspapers were intended primarily to boost the morale of the internees, offering articles on the latest events related to the Ukrainian struggle for independence.
Editors did not receive any remuneration for their work; the papers, in addition to original content, also reprinted articles from Polish periodicals or those from the territory of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
[25] An independent publishing initiative was undertaken by the Orthodox Brotherhood of the Protection of the Mother of God, led by Father Piotr Bilon.
In addition to a religious-themed magazine, the brotherhood printed a prayer book, a collection of psalms and sermons, texts of the Holy Liturgy, and postcards featuring a photograph of the iconostasis from the camp chapel.
3 in Łańcut due to a request from General Marko Bezruchko to Metropolitan George Yaroshevsky and Chief Chaplain of Orthodox Soldiers in the Polish Army, Bazyli Martysz [pl].
[21] Before Easter in 1921, Father Martynycz escaped the camp, attempting to reach Soviet Ukraine, but was captured and shot by the Bolsheviks at the Dniester river crossing.
[38] He was replaced by Father Petro Bilon, who arrived at the camp as a private soldier and was ordained after completing a theological course.
Bilon likely began his duties in February 1921 and by April had initiated the Brotherhood of the Protection of the Mother of God, which had around 100 members and conducted church singing courses alongside its publishing activities.
As a result, the internees set up a chapel in one of the barracks, featuring an iconostasis designed by W. Bokit'ko and constructed by F. Melanuk and M. Krushelnytsky.
[20] The formal closure of the Aleksandrów Kujawski camp was announced on 9 October 1921, following the completion of prisoner exchanges with Soviet Russia.
Interned individuals who found permanent employment were allowed to stay in Aleksandrów with residency rights, forming a Ukrainian colony in the city that lasted until World War II.
