THE POWER OF POLONIA

POST-WWI POLISH IR/IIVIIGRmTSTO CANADA: SUR\.'I\'ORS OF DEPORTATION Sr E-WLE IN SOVIET LABOUR C . h i P S

.A Thesis submitted to the Cornmittee on Graduate Studies

in Panial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the

Degree of Master of Arts

in the Faculty of Arts and Science

TRENT UNNERSETY Prterboroueh. Ontario. Canada

C Copyright by Helen Bajorek MacDonald 2001

Canadian Heritage & Developrnent Studies M.A. Program Jwie 2001

*

Bibliothèque nationale

National Library of Canada

du Canada

Acquisitions and Bibliographie Services

Acquisitions et services bibliographiques

395 Wellington Street

OîtawaON KlAON4

395, rue Wellington ûttawa ON K1A ON4

Canada

Canada

The author has granted a nonexclusive licence allowing the National Library of Canada to reproduce, loan, distribute or seil copies of t h s thesis in microform, paper or electronic formats.

L' auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive permettant à la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou vendre des copies de cette thèse sous la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique.

The author retains ownership of the copyright in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.

L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement reproduits sans son autorisation.

ABSTRACT THE POWER OF POLONIA Post-WWll Polish Immigrants to Canada: Suwivors of Deportation & Exile in Soviet Labour Camps

Helen Bajorek MacDonald In August 1949, approximately 900 Poles disembarked at Halifax from an American naval carrier, the General H. M. Black. Each camed a one-year farm or domestic labour contract to be fulfilled at vanous locations across Canada. This group of Polish immigrants was a postscript to the precedent-setting group migration of

1946147 of 4,527 Polish ex-soldiers who traveled from England and ltaly under Britain's Polish Reseltlement Act to fulfill two-year farm labour contracts.

Their journey began when, through 1939-41, 1.5 million Poles were forcibly deported from Poland to exile in Soviet labour camps or agncultural collectives. In 1942 about 115,000 fled during a brief 'amnesty' period. They eventually made their way to

the Middle East where able-bodied men joined the Polish Second Corps under the leadership of Polish General Wladysbw Anders, and fought alongside the Allies. The

civilian refugees lived a diasporic existence in India, then British Africa, where through 1942-50 about 19,000 displaced Poles Iived in 22 settlernents. After the war, some

repatriated to Poland. Others resettled in new homelands. But what became of the Anders Poles? What did they encounter when they arrived in Canada?

How have they contributed to Canadian life? How have they

reconciled their Polishness in or out of mutual expression with Canadianness? This study explores these and other questions and has benefited from the contributions of thirtyeight men and women who graciously and courageously mmmaged through their mernories and archives that their stories could be entered into

the realm of scholariy inquiry.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and DEDICATION

#Thisstudy hm benefited- k o r n support and- direction received fiom manv jources: scholars un& rneGoirists who have docurnented m p c t s the