The Case of the 16 Poles

by The National Council of American-Soviet Friendship

(1945)


FORMULATION OF THE CHARGE



The investigating authorities consider it established that:

1. THE ACCUSED IN THE PRESENT CASE, OKULICKI, JANKOWSKI, BIEN AND JASIUKOWICZ, AFTER THE LIBERATION OF TERRITORY OF THE WESTERN REGIONS OF THE UKRAINE AND BYELORUSSIA ALSO LITHUANIA AND POLAND, WERE THE ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS OF POLISH UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATIONS ON THAT TERRITORY AND CONDUCTED ACTIVE SUBVERSIVE WORK IN THE REAR OF THE RED ARMY;

2. The accused Okulicki, with the complicity of the accused Jankowski, Bien and Jasiukowicz, acting on the instructions of the Polish emigre government, "falsely informed the Soviet military command about the dissolution of the "Armia Krajowa," while in reality preserving its headquarters and officer cadres and on this base build up a new conspiratorial military-political organization under the name of "NE" ("Independence"), with a view to continuing subversive work in the rear of the Red Army and preparing military action in a bloc with Germany against the USSR;

3. They guided the subversive activities of the underground organizations they had created, directed them towards the perpetration of terroristic acts against soldiers and officers of the Red Army, and diversionary acts against the communications of the Red Army, thus bearing the whole moral and political responsibility for diversions and terrorist acts committed in the rear of the Red Army;

4. Contrary to the order of the Soviet military command on the compulsory surrender of receiving and transmitting wireless stations arms and ammunition, they hid and utilized them for subversive work against the Red Army in the field;

5. The accused Okulicki engaged in intelligence-espionage work in the rear of the Red Army;

...the guilt of all of them is established by the documents in the case, the material evidence, the testimony of witnesses and of the other accused.

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 27





The accused Okulicki testified that in July, 1944, Bor-Komorowski ordered him, in accordance with Sosnkowski's instructions, to set up and head the military-political organization "NE" (" Independence").

The investigation established that the underground organization "NE" had the following tasks:

1. To build up cadres of the organization, to preserve arms for underground activities and for the preparation of an uprising against the USSR;

2. To create armed combat detachments of not more than 60 men each;

3. To create terroristic, so-called liquidation groups and to carry on terroristic acts against the enemies of "Armia Krajowa" and the representatives of the Soviet military command;

4. To prepare cadres of saboteurs to carry out acts of sabotage only in the period when the uprising was imminent;

5. To engage in military intelligence and counter-espionage in the rear of the Red Army....

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 12





JANSSEN: [At the confrontation with the accused Okulicki, former commandant Lobov district, Janssen testified:]

"...I MUST SAY THAT IN WARSAW I ALSO RECEIVED SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EFFECT THAT TERRORISTIC ACTS AGAINST THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE RED ARMY, AND ALSO AGAINST REPRESENTATIVES OF SOVIET AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT WITH SPECIAL CAUTION AND THAT THESE ASSASSINATIONS SHOULD BE LAID AT THE DOOR OF UKRAINIAN NATIONALISTS."

ASKED WHETHER HE KNEW ABOUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS, THE ACCUSED OKULICKI CONFIRMED THAT HE DID.

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 13





JASIUKOWICZ: "... Having formally announced disbandment of the 'Armia Krajowa' we actually preserved it, camouflaged it, and tried to conceal this fact from the Soviet Union.

This army was destined for struggle against the Soviet Union and actually conducted diversionist and terroristic activities in the Red Army's rear. Measures of the Soviet military command in the zone of hostilities were sabotaged. Our press and radio stations engaged in slanderous propaganda. The Polish people were being incited against the Russians."





The accused BIEN stated, "THE NEW CLANDESTINE MILITARY ORGANIZATION WHICH OKULICKI WAS BUILDING WAS TO CARRY ON SUBVERSIVE WORK IN THE REAR OF THE RED ARMY IN THE FIELD...

OKULICKI CARRIED OUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE UNDERGROUND ARMED FORCES IN ORDER,...TO ORGANIZE AN ARMED UPRISING AGAINST THE RED ARMY IN POLAND WHEN THE TIME CAME....

The [underground] Council of Ministers decided that the leadership of the new underground should consist of representatives of Polish underground parties.

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 14





The investigation has revealed that in the course of 1944 and early in 1945, underground armed attachments of "Armia Krajowa" on the territory of the western regions of the Ukraine and Byelorussia, in Lithuania and in Poland, in the rear of the Red Army in the field, systematically committed terroristic acts against officers and men of the Red Army, sabotage against Red Army communication lines, and armed raids on Soviet military and civil institutions. Along with this, members of the "Armia Krajowa" also gathered intelligence on the Red Army.

... The "Ragner" detachment was about 300 strong and committed numerous terroristic and diversionary acts in the Red Army's rear, plundered the local population, engaged in arson, caused explosions, etc.

Arrested on Jan. 22, 1945, Pawlowski testified that he was a member of the "Armia Krajowa," and as such directed combat operations against Red Army units by order of the "Armia Krajowa" command.

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 15





LUBIKOWSKI: On this subject Lubikowski himself testified:

"... Sept. 3, 1944 I wrote an order to the commander of the 'Ragner', 'Krys', 'Orkan', detachments instructing them to carry out acts of diversion on the night of September 17 to 18, 1944, as a demonstration of protest against the Red Army's entry into Polish territory."

And further:

"...I RECEIVED A WRITTEN REPORT ON THE EXECUTION OF MY ORDER, FROM 'RAGNER' WHO INFORMED ME THAT HE CARRIED OUT 12 ACTS OF SABOTAGE, DERAILED TWO TRAINS, BLEW UP TWO BRIDGES, AND DAMAGED A RAILWAY TRACK IN EIGHT PLACES."

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 16





KOLENDO: Describing in detail the subversive activity of Lubikowski's detachment, members of the detachment Kolendo and Lukaszewicz stated:

"...ON THE NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 17 TO 18, 1944 ON THE ORDER OF DETACHMENT COMMANDER JAGELSKI, BY WAY OF PROTEST, AS HE EXPLAINED, AGAINST THE RED ARMY'S ENTRY ON THAT DATE IN 1939 INTO THE TERRITORY OF WESTERN BYELORUSSIA, I, TOGETHER WITH A GROUP OF MEMBERS OF OUR DETACHMENT, BLEW UP THE RAILWAY TRACK BETWEEN THE STATIONS NEIMAN AND NOWOWO-YELNYA."



LUKASZEWICZ:

"...AS A MEMBER OF THE 'SIBIRYAK' DETACHMENT I PARTICIPATED TWICE IN THE BLOWING-UP OF FREIGHT TRAINS ON THE LIDA-VILNIUS SECTOR."

In the course of the liquidation of the detachment and Lubikowski's arrest, there were recovered two stores of mines, explosives, and other accessories for subversive acts.

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 17





OKULICKI: Questioned during the investigation about the diversionary and terroristic acts committed on Polish territory against Red Army officers and men, the accused Okulicki stated in his testimony of May 31 and June 4:

"Having acquainted myself with documents which have been presented to me relating to subversive activities of the 'Armia Krajowa' in the Red Army's rear, I RECOGNIZE MY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIVERSIONARY AND TERRORISTIC ACTS COMMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE 'ARMIA KRAJOWA'.

AS COMMANDER OF 'ARMIA KRAJOWA' I RECOGNIZE MY FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR TERRORISTIC ACTS AGAINST RED ARMY OFFICERS AND MEN COMMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE 'ARMIA KRAJOWA' BOTH ON THE TERRITORY OF THE SOVIET UNION, THAT IS, IN THE WESTERN REGIONS OF THE UKRAINE AND BYELORUSSIA AND ON POLISH TERRITORY....

I can say the same about the gathering of intelligence against the Red Army."

Similar testimony was given by the accused Jankowski, Jasiukowicz, and Bien.

Bien testified:

BIEN: "...AS MINISTER OF THE UNDERGROUND POLISH GOVERNMENT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE 'ARMIA KRAJOWA' INCLUDING ITS TERRORISTIC AND DIVERSIONARY STRUGGLE ON POLISH TERRITORY AGAINST THE RED ARMY."



JASIUKOWICZ: The accused Jasiukowicz admitted:

"I, TOO, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TERRORISTIC AND DIVERSIONARY ACTS OF THE 'ARMIA KRAJOWA' AGAINST THE RED ARMY OF WHICH I WAS ACCUSED AT THE INVESTIGATION."

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 19





SWIECZKOWSKI: An arrested member of the 'Armia Krajowa' sub-Lieutenant Swieczkowski stated:

"... After the liberation of Lvov from the German invaders by the Red Army, on assignments of the chief command of the 'AK', in which I worked under the alias of 'Shtukas', I ENGAGED IN ESPIONAGE AND GATHERED INTELLIGENCE IN THE RED ARMY'S REAR...."

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 20





Swieczkowski's testimony has been confirmed by written materials on 71 sheets containing espionage data found on him during the arrest.

On November 20, 1944, at the Volkovyssk railway station a member of the "AK" Szancilo was detained. In his possession was found and confiscated a package containing espionage information. At the interrogation on January 19, 1945, Szancilo stated:



SZANCILO: "... I am a member of the illegal anti-Soviet Polish organization acting on the directives of the Polish government in London.... I was enlisted in this organization in March, 1944.... On November 20, 1944, I was detained at the Volkovyssk Station by Sgt. Safarov just as I WAS RECEIVING A PACKAGE FROM THE CHIEF TRAIN GUARD.... THIS PACKAGE CONTAINED ESPIONAGE INFORMATION ON THE CONDITION OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT. On instructions of the leader of the organization in Volkovyssk, I USED TO BRING PACKAGES AND ESPIONAGE MATERIALS TO BIALYSTOK WHERE I DELIVERED THEM TO MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION... ACCORDING TO AGREED PASSWORDS."

National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. The Case of the 16 Poles and the Plot for War on the U. S. S. R . New York: National Council of American-Soviet friendship, 1945, p. 21