Eighty-five years ago today, a pivotal moment in history unfolded as the Soviet Union formally annexed Polish territories under its control. This event followed the German and Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, an act that set the stage for the Second World War and led to the division of Poland between two hostile powers.
Seventeen days after Nazi Germany launched its attack on Poland, the Soviet Union invaded from the east, targeting regions historically referred to as the Kresy. By the end of the campaign, the USSR had seized 201,015 square kilometres (77,612 square miles) of Polish territory, home to approximately 13.3 million people.
A Strategy of De-Polonization
The Soviet occupation was marked by efforts to dismantle Polish society and culture. This “de-Polonization” campaign aimed to suppress the country’s national identity. Key members of Polish society, including the intelligentsia and landed gentry, were targeted for extermination or persecution.
Mass deportations were central to Soviet policy. Hundreds of thousands of families—particularly those from military, police, intellectual, and wealthier farming backgrounds—were forcibly relocated to remote regions of the USSR. Conditions were harsh, and for many, the journey was a one-way trip; an estimated one-third of deportees never returned to Poland.
Profound Social and Cultural Changes
During the 21-month Soviet occupation, sweeping changes reshaped the social, cultural, economic, and national fabric of the annexed regions. The effects of these transformations were devastating, leaving a lasting scar on the Polish nation. The annexation and its consequences remain a sombre chapter in the shared history of Poland and the world.