Draft:Massacre in Puchały Stare


Massacre in Puchały stare
Part of 1946 pacification of villages by PAS NZW
LocationPuchały stare
Date31 January 1946
TargetBelarusians
Attack type
mass murder
Deaths30 Belarusian coachmen
PerpetratorsNational Military Union Under command of Romuald Rajs "Bury"
MotiveAnti-Belarusian sentiment

Main article: 1946 pacification of villages by PAS NZW

Puchały Stare massacre - Murder of 30 belarusian orthodox coachmen in forest next to Puchały stare, the preparator was PAS-NZW under command of Romuald Rajs.

Massacre

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On January 31, 1946, Romuald Rajs' battalion arrived at the village of Puchały Stare after pacifying the villages of Zaleszna and Wólki Wyganowskiej. "Bury" realizing that the coachmen were witnesses to a crime they had committed earlier, gathered them all and said, "Not a single living soul will leave this village. Your land, Belarusians, is here, but deeper," while pointing to the ground. He then selected a few coachmen who identified as Polish and allowed them to leave. With 30 Belarusian coachmen remaining, he formed small groups, which he later sent to the forest near the village, where they were killed. The oldest victim was 54 years old, and the youngest was 17.

References

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Bibliography

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Paweł Stachnik (2021). Romuald Rajs i pacyfikacja białoruskich wiosek. Z rąk żołnierzy wyklętych zginęły dziesiątki cywilów "Romuald Rajs and the pacification of Belarusian villages. Dozens of civilians died at the hands of cursed soldiers. "

Pałka, Jarosław (2013). "Ludowe Wojsko Polskie w walce ze zbrojnym polskim podziemiem niepodległościowym (lata 1946 i 1947)" (PDF). Polish People's Army in Battle with Armed Underground Independence Movement in 1946 and 1947. Journal Pamięć i Sprawiedliwość (Memory and Justice), Institute of National Remembrance, No. 1 (21). pp. 141-166 (1-26 in PDF).