ABOUT EXIBITION: SOVIETS GO HOME!

Poland went through a turbulent history in the 20th century, often being between a rock and a hard place of two powers: Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. This exhibition tells the story of Russia's aggressive policy towards Poland - from the moment Soviet troops entered in 1939 until their final withdrawal in 1993.

There are tragic tales of betrayal and aggression here, when Poland became a victim of the secret Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, joining the fight against the two hostile powers. Reports of brutal deportations to Siberia, where hundreds of thousands of Poles were forced into hard labour in penal labour camps, stand alongside stories of the massacre at Katyn, where the NKVD murdered more than 22,000 Polish officers.

For the entire period after the Second World War, Poland was under the rule of Soviet Russia, dominated by the puppet government of the PKWN, while the real leaders of Poland were arrested, tortured and murdered in show trials. All this to crush the spirit of a nation that continually resisted repression.

The dark years of the Polish People's Republic (PRL), in which the nation struggled with deep poverty, corruption, cannot be ignored. Brutality and violence were the tools with which the communists maintained their control over Poland, while forcing public opinion throughout the western world to consider the consequences of a nuclear war that could break out in the region.

Despite this repression, Poland did not give in. The resistance, represented by the figure of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko and Solidarity, led to the fall of the communist regime and the withdrawal of Russian troops. Finally, Poland became a sovereign state, although the shadow of Russia still lingers over other countries such as Georgia and Ukraine. We invite you to witness Poland's struggle, perseverance and spirit in the face of adversity that the whole civilised world faces today.

There is only one solution: Soviets go home!