Nieznany epizod II wojny światowej. Sowiecka okupacja Suwalszczyzny 24 IX – 6 X 1939 r. jako studium przypadku

Okupacyjno-wojenna historia Suwałk i Suwalszczyzny kojarzona jest wyłącznie z agresją niemiecką i późniejszą przynależnością do III Rzeszy. Pierwotnie owe terytorium znalazło się jednak pod okupacją sowiecką. Tak stanowił pakt Ribbentrop-Mołotow z 23 VIII 1939 r. Artykuł opisuje działania militarne strony sowieckiej oraz postawy miejscowej ludności, zróżnicowanej pod względem etnicznym i konfesyjnym. W opisywanym regionie na początku wojny nie dochodziło do konfliktów charakterystycznych dla polskich Kresów Wschodnich, co umożliwia przeprowadzenie badań bez późniejszych naleciałości spowodowanych długotrwałą okupacją sowiecką. The war and occupation history of Suwałki and Suwałki region is associated almost exclusively with the German aggression and the later annexation of this territory to the Third Reich. Initially, however, the area was under the Soviet occupation, according to the provisions of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 23 August 1939. The article describes military operations of the Soviets and attitudes of the local population, diverse both in terms of ethnicity and religion. At the beginning of the war there were no conflicts in the analysed region, characteristic of the Polish Eastern Frontiers, which allows us to conduct research with no later influences resulting from the long Soviet occupation.Okupacyjno-wojenna historia Suwałk i Suwalszczyzny kojarzona jest wyłącznie z agresją niemiecką i późniejszą przynależnością do III Rzeszy. Pierwotnie owe terytorium znalazło się jednak pod okupacją sowiecką. Tak stanowił pakt Ribbentrop-Mołotow z 23 VIII 1939 r. Artykuł opisuje działania militarne strony sowieckiej oraz postawy miejscowej ludności, zróżnicowanej pod względem etnicznym i konfesyjnym. W opisywanym regionie na początku wojny nie dochodziło do konfliktów charakterystycznych dla polskich Kresów Wschodnich, co umożliwia przeprowadzenie badań bez późniejszych naleciałości spowodowanych długotrwałą okupacją sowiecką. The war and occupation history of Suwałki and Suwałki region is associated almost exclusively with the German aggression and the later annexation of this territory to the Third Reich. Initially, however, the area was under the Soviet occupation, according to the provisions of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 23 August 1939. The article describes military operations of the Soviets and attitudes of the local population, diverse both in terms of ethnicity and religion. At the beginning of the war there were no conflicts in the analysed region, characteristic of the Polish Eastern Frontiers, which allows us to conduct research with no later influences resulting from the long Soviet occupation

Spine deformities in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, type IV - late results of surgical treatment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spinal deformities in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are usually progressive and may require operative treatment. There is limited number of studies describing late results of surgery in this disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a retrospective study of the records of 11 patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV, treated surgically between 1990 and 2007. All patients underwent surgical treatment for spinal deformity. Duration of operation, type of instrumentation, intraoperative blood loss, complications and number of additional surgeries were noted. Radiographic measurement was performed on standing AP and lateral radiographs acquired before surgery, just after and at final follow up.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean follow up period was 5.5 ± 2.9 years (range 1-10 years). The mean preoperative thoracic and lumbar curve were 109.5 ± 19.9° (range 83° - 142°) and 75.6 ± 26.7° (range 40° - 108°) respectively. Posterior spine fusion alone was performed on 6 patients and combined anterior and posterior fusion (one- or two stage) on 5 cases. Posterior segmental spinal instrumentation was applied with use of hooks, screws and wires. The mean postoperative thoracic and lumbar curve improved to 79.3 ± 16.1° (range 56° - 105°) and 58.5 ± 27.7° (range 10° - 95°) respectively, with a slight loss of correction during follow up. The average thoracic and lumbar correction was 26.4 ± 14.9% (range 5.3 - 50.4%) and 26.3 ± 21.2% (range 7.9 - 75%). Postoperatively, the mean kyphosis was 79.5 ± 40.3° (range 21° -170°), and lordosis was 50.8 ± 18.6° (range 20° -79°). Hyperkyphosis increased during follow up while lordosis remained stable. Mean Th12-L2 angle was -3.5 ±9.9° (range -19° - 15°) postoperatively and did not change significantly during follow up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Huge spinal deformities in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome require complex and extensive surgery. There is a big risk of sagittal imbalance in this group.</p

Early administration of LEvosimendan in Patients witH decompensAted chroNic hearT failure (ELEPHANT) study. Rationale and protocol of the study

Dobutamine and levosimendan are both indicated for inotropic support in acute decompensated heart failure (HF). The study aimed to assess the impact of early administration of levosimendan (first iv therapeutic approach) versus dobutamine (first iv therapeutic approach) on in-hospital treatment expenses and clinical outcomes in patients with decompensated chronic HF. The ELEPHANT study was designed as a phase III, multicentre, randomized 1:1, double-blind, active-controlled trial that will include patients admitted to the hospital due to HF decompensation. Co-primary endpoints were defined as total in-hospital expenses/survivor and duration of hospitalization/survivor. Secondary efficacy endpoints: on the last day of hospitalization: occurrence of treatment side effects, body weight change during hospitalization, BNP change during hospitalization, in-hospital mortality, additional levosimendan administration due to the ineffectiveness of the initial treatment. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to the active group receiving continuous infusion 24 h of levosimendan 0.1 μg/kg/min or to the control group receiving continuous infusion 24 h of dobutamine 3 μg/kg/min. After the enrolment of 20 patients, results analysis will be performed (pilot phase — single centre). Based on this analysis conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle, the final population size will be defined. The multicentre phase of the study will be initiated after the pilot phase

Narodowe formacje wojskowe w Rosji bolszewickiej i Związku Sowieckim w latach 1918–1943 i ich rola w polityce ekspansji imperium

National Military Formations in Bolshevik Russia and the Soviet Union in 1918–1943 and Their Role in the Policy of Imperial ExpansionNational military units appeared in Bolshevik Russia already during the so–called October Revolution and predominantly the period known as the “Civil War” or the “Struggle against the Counter–Revolution”. It is highly probable that upon this stage in the history of Bolshevik Russia the existence of such armies was supposed to bolster the self–esteem of the vanquished nations and their elites and to preserve the mistaken conviction that Red Russia respected their right to self–determination and was devoid of imperial or Russification leanings. These armies, based on voluntary recruitment and during the winter even disbanded, resembled rather a Red militia, not to mention a commonplace gang. Nonetheless, the application of a national rhetoric made it easier to conceal the true Bolshevik targets, i.e. the reconstruction and even the expansion of the former tsarist Empire. It seems worthwhile to draw attention to a certain continuum of the Russian/Soviet or Putinesque line pursued by the Russian state and a strategic scheme planned at least decades ahead, regardless of its provenance. Today, the counterpart of the ”national” armies and governments involves ”independent” separatists and their military and political structures as well as long ago devised models of conduct (elections, plebiscites, rhetoric suitable for a presentation of arguments, etc.). Hence an analysis of former military–political conceptions may well serve contemporary objectives

Obława Augustowska – stan badań, ich uwarunkowania i perspektywy

The Augustów Roundup – current state of research, its circumstances and perspectives. In January 1944 the Soviet Army crossed the former eastern border of the Second Polish Republic. With the help of the army, military formations of NKVD and military counter-intelligence SMERSH, a large-scale cleansing of the held territories started. The Augustów Roundup was the last of the large „counter-intelligence actions” of the battalion of the SMERSH Directorate troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front. It had all the hallmarks of the Katyń operation. A group, probably counting several hundred Chekists, was responsible for the physical elimination of the identified detainees. It seems that the Soviets must have had their own method of filtration in addition to a prior intelligence work. It might have been the 5-day cycle of interrogation. The detainees were beaten into the confession of being AK members or into indicating people suspected of it. A completely different technique of detention of the arrested can be observed. They were kept in small groups – a few–several persons without the right to correspondence. They were killed in the middle of nowhere, but probably, just like in the Katyń-mode, a building of some kind was necessary. The people might have been killed naked or were disrobed post-mortem to rule out identification in case the gravesite was found. Probably the remains of the victims of the Augustów Roundup are buried on the „Russian” side of the border. Now, when we are sure that the Roundup was also conducted in parts of Lithuania (not counting the investigations against the individuals placed at the disposal of NKVD-NKGB administration), as well as in a part of the Grodno region, the perfect place – from the logistic point of view – seems to be the intersection of the Polish, Lithuanian and Belorussian borders, somewhere in the vicinity of the village of Kalety, a rangers station of Giedź and the lake of Szlamy. The Augustów Roundup comprises several stages. The first one involved collecting information on Polish sovereignist underground by Soviet undercover agents and guerrillas. Perhaps, the May–June 1945 arrests might be included into this stage, starting with the arrests at the village fête in Studzienniczna in Augustów Forest. The second stage – between 12 and 19 July – was a military operation with the participation of the 62nd Division of the Interior Army of the NKVD, SMERSH officers and the local UB (secret security) and MO (militia). The third phase was a process of secondary detentions caused by the investigation by tortures to extract further information on the Polish underground. It took place between 20–21 July and autumn 1945. At this stage there were also executions. The fourth phase – from 1945/1946 to the Third Polish Republic – a protecting of the secret of the disappearance and covering the tracks, probably with the help of the Russian secret service and Polish descendants of the people involved in the Augustów Roundup on the side of the perpetrators. Августовская облава – состояние исследований, определяющие их факторы и перспективыВ январе 1944 г. Советская армия перешла восточную границу 2-й Польской Республики. С помощью армии, войск НКВД и военной контрразведки СМЕРШ началась крупномасштабная зачистка занятой территории. Августовская облава была последней из больших «контрразведывательных акций» армейского батальона Управления СМЕРШ-а 3-го Белорусского фронта. У нее были все признаки схожие с Катыньской операцией. Группа, предположительно, состоящая из нескольких сот чекистов занималась ликвидацией определенных задержанных. Кажется, у советов должны были быть свои методы во время фильтрации, кроме заранее проведенной разведывательной разработки. Может быть для этого употреблялся пятидневный цикл допросов. Задержанных избивали, чтобы те признались в членстве в Армии Крайовой или указали на лица, подозреваемое в этом. Отчетливо видна другая техника передержки арестованных. Они в очень небольших группах – в несколько человек, без права на переписку. Их убивают на пустошах, хотя, предположительно – так же как и в Катыньском «режиме» – нужно какое-то здание. Нельзя исключить, что людей убивали голыми или после смерти с них срывали одежду, чтобы, в случае находки могил, исключить какую-либо идентификацию. Вероятно, останки жертв Августовской облавы покоятся на «российской» стороне границы. Сейчас, когда у нас уверенность в том, что облава обхватывала часть Литвы, не считая дел возбужденных против людей, переданных в распоряжение органов НКВД-НКГБ, а также часть Гродненщины, идеальным местом, в логистическом отношении, кажется стык границ Польши, Литвы и Беларуси, где-то в окрестностях деревни Калеты, лесничества Гедзь и озера Шлямы. Августовская облава состояла из нескольких этапов. Первый заключался в собрании агентурой и собственным партизанским движением информации о польском подполье защитников независимости. Может быть к этому этапу можно причислить уже майские-июньские аресты, начиная с арестов во время народного гулянья в Студщенничной в Августовской пуще. Второй этап – между 12 и 19 июля – это военная операция, в которой принимали участье 62-я дивизия внутренних войск НКВД, работники СМЕРШ-а, местного УБ (служба безопасности) и МО (милиция). Третий этап – это процесс вторичных арестов, вызванных следствием с пристрастием, добывающем очередную информацию о польском подполье, который продолжался с 20–21 июля до осени 1945 г. На этот этап приходятся казни. Четвертый этап – с 1945/1946 по времена тн. 3-й Польской Республики – защита тайны исчезновения и сокрытие следов, может быть с помощью российских служб и польских потомков людей, замешанных в Августовскую облаву на стороне виновников

An Unknown Episode of the Second World War. The Soviet Occupation of Suwałki Region 24 September – 6 October 1939 as a case study

Okupacyjno-wojenna historia Suwałk i Suwalszczyzny kojarzona jest wyłącznie z agresją niemiecką i późniejszą przynależnością do III Rzeszy. Pierwotnie owe terytorium znalazło się jednak pod okupacją sowiecką. Tak stanowił pakt Ribbentrop-Mołotow z 23 VIII 1939 r. Artykuł opisuje działania militarne strony sowieckiej oraz postawy miejscowej ludności, zróżnicowanej pod względem etnicznym i konfesyjnym. W opisywanym regionie na początku wojny nie dochodziło do konfliktów charakterystycznych dla polskich Kresów Wschodnich, co umożliwia przeprowadzenie badań bez późniejszych naleciałości spowodowanych długotrwałą okupacją sowiecką. The war and occupation history of Suwałki and Suwałki region is associated almost exclusively with the German aggression and the later annexation of this territory to the Third Reich. Initially, however, the area was under the Soviet occupation, according to the provisions of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 23 August 1939. The article describes military operations of the Soviets and attitudes of the local population, diverse both in terms of ethnicity and religion. At the beginning of the war there were no conflicts in the analysed region, characteristic of the Polish Eastern Frontiers, which allows us to conduct research with no later influences resulting from the long Soviet occupation

Stulecie czekistów. Skład narodowościowy centralnego i terenowych aparatów NKWD ZSRS 1934–1944/1945

The sources to and literature on the history of the Soviet repression apparatus are scarce and incomplete or inaccessible. However, this period of the epoch was of a great significance for the model of the state, its organs and life of millions of its citizens. Of particular interest are the ethnic composition of the Soviet apparatus of repression and participation of Jews in it as well as a “people’s” legend according to which it was Jews who created the Bolshevik state. It is impossible to conduct serious research into the subject, while reflections and hypotheses presented in the article should be regarded only as possible or probable.Źródła i literatura przedmiotu dotyczące historii sowieckiego aparatu represji są niewielkie i w dużej części zdekompletowane lub nieudostępniane. Tymczasem ten segment epoki miał olbrzymie znaczenie dla modelu państwa, pracy jego organów i życia milionów obywateli. Szczególnie interesujące są skład narodowościowy sowieckiego aparatu bezpieczeństwa i udział w nim Żydów oraz „ludowa” legenda głosząca, że to oni stworzyli państwo bolszewickie. Przy obecnym stanie źródeł poważnych badań nie można przeprowadzić, zaś w niniejszym tekście rozważania i hipotezy należy traktować jedynie za możliwe lub prawdopodobne