Dokumenty wydobyte z morza po katastrofie gibraltarskiej

Abstract

It remains an intriguing question, why all General Sikorski’s biographers and those seemingly concerned about the circumstances of his death, have during the past sixty years ignored the contents of those documents which were retrieved from the sea off Gibraltar following the fateful crash of Liberator AL 523 on 4th July 1943 a few minutes past 23.00 hours. This paper given at the Polish Embassy in London on the 70th anniversary of General Sikorski’s death tries to fill in this historical gap. Several papers saved from the sea refer to the Operations Bureau of the Polish General Staff under Col. Andrzej Marecki. There are studies relating to the possible operations in Italy and the best manner of carrying them out. The overriding interest, in Polish eyes at least, was an offensive through the Balkans, which also receives a detailed paper. There are detailed papers on the situation on the eastern front, along with possible developments there. Several of these documents concentrate on the Polish Home Army (resistance movement). General Sikorski’s file contains his numerous ciphers – military, political as well as private – which he sent and received in the weeks leading up to his death. The papers help to understand and unravel General Sikorski not only as Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister, but above all, as a ground commander and private man.