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AK
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Polish National Army (see ZWZ)
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Anders' Army
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The Polish Army under the Russians. After Maiski-Eden agreement
a Polish army was created in the Soviet Union, out of Polish
prisoners arrested in 1939 by the Russians. Most members eventually
reached the UK after the war, where General Anders remained
until his death.
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arbeitsamt
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Work Office
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Banderowcy
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members of Ukrainian organisation fighting for independence
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bauer
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farmer (German word)
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Bolsheviks
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members of Russian Majority Socialist Party, communist revolutionaries,
“Reds”
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FWP
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Employees’ Holiday Fund
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Gierek
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Edward Gierek, head of Polish communist party 1970-80
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Gomolka
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Head of Polish communist party 1956-1970
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GOPR
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Mountain Lifeguard Volunteers
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groszy
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small denomination of Polish currency: one grosz=20 groszy
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horilka
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“moonshine”, home-made alcohol (Russian)
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kolkhozes
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farm cooperatives (Russian)
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Kraut
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(literally, cabbage), a German. (Germans were regarded as
“cabbage eaters”)
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lager
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work camp
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lemkis
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Native population of SE Poland, mostly Catholic, arbitrarily
transferred after 1945 to NW Poland.
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morga
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unit of land = 5600 square metres
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mouflon
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wild sheep, Ovis musinon
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NKWD
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Russian Security Service, formerly known as Tcheka, then
Committee of Interior Affairs, then KGB.
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oflag
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prison camp for Polish officers during World War 2
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PGR
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State-owned farms (Polish)
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Pilsudski
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Head of Polish state since coup d’etat in May 1926.
He ran the country in an arbitary way despite deep socialist
origins; considered a national saviour after the political
upheavals of 1918-26, often compared to General de Gaulle.
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pirogi
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small Russian pastries, filled with meat, vegetables or cheese
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PUR
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Polish Repatriation Office, in charge of transferring people
from east to west after the war
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Solidarity
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Spontaneous people’s movement against communist regime, starting
in August 1980 with shipyard strike. Crushed in December
1981, resurrected in 1989 and became main factor in dismantling
of Soviet Empire.
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spicules
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ears of corn
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SP
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Sluzba Polsce (Service to Poland), Stalinist labour
camp for young people, voluntary
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SZSP
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Socialist Union of Polish Students
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taiga
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Siberian pine forest
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UB
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Polish Security Services
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UNRRA
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United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
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USSR
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Soviet Union
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volkdeutsches
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(literally, Germanfolk), Poles of German origin who after
September 1 1939 signed voluntarily or otherwise the Volksliste,
declaring themselves German.
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Walesa
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Lech Walesa, founder of Solidarity
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WOP
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Border Guard
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zlotys
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Polish currency
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ZMP
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Polish Youth Association - a communist organisation
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ZWZ
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Polish resistance organisation, became the National Army
(AK)
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