Leon KRUPNIK
Leon Krupnik was born to Jan and Maria (nee Horzej) on 27 February 1912 in Sawidkowce, Tarnopol province, eastern Poland.
The Germans invaded Poland from the west on 1 September 1939, and the Russians invaded from the east on 17 September 1939. They divided Poland between them. In the Russian-controlled area, the plan to ethnically-cleanse the area soon took effect with the first of four mass deportations to Siberia that were carried out in 1940 and 1941.
Leon served in the September 1939 campaign in Poland from 24 August to 27 September. In 1940, he was deported to Siberia with his parents, two sisters, and a niece. His parents died in Siberia; his sisters and niece returned to Poland in 1946.
In June 1941, Germany turned on its ally, Russia. Stalin then quickly changed tactics and allied himself with the west so that the allies could help him defeat the Germans. This led to the signing of the Sikorski-Majewski agreement that called for the freeing of Poles imprisoned in POW camps and labour camps in the USSR, and the formation of a Polish Army in the southern USSR.
The news of this ‘amnesty’ did not reach every camp, but where it did become known, the men and boys soon made plans to make their way south to join the army. For most, this meant walking thousands of kilometres and only occasionally getting on a train for part of the journey. Many did not make it, and those who did were emaciated skeletons by the time they got there. Leon was one of the ‘skeletons’ who made this journey.
General Anders oversaw the army, and he tried hard to get the Russians to provide the food and equipment they had promised. When this became increasingly impossible, he negotiated the right to evacuate the army to Persia, where the British would provide what was needed.
The evacuation took place by ship over the Caspian Sea to Pahlavi in Persia (now Iran). The ships that were used were oil tankers and coal ships, and other ships that were not equipped to handle passengers. They were filthy and lacked even the necessities, like water and latrines. The soldiers and civilians filled these ships to capacity for the 1–2-day trip. When there were storms, the situation got even worse – with most of the passengers suffering sea sickness.
Released by the ‘amnesty’, Leon joined the Polish 2nd Corps on 1 April 1942. He served in the Middle East and then fought in the Italian Campaign from December 1943 to May 1945.
On 18 October 1946, he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps in the UK and was discharged on 7 April 1948. For his service, Leon was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945.
Leon married Maria and they raised five children (Jadwiga, Jozef, Edward, Wiktor, and Anna). He spent a few years in England before emigrating to Canada in March 1949.
Leon passed away in Fraserwood, Manitoba, on 22 November 1985, at the age of 73 years. He was buried at the Fraserwood Cemetery.
Copyright: Krupnik family