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Background history
The document dated 12 July 1943 is an order which was issued by General Leon Berbecki. It could have passed unnoticed as one of many documents which were written during World War II save for the fact that the General issued it in one of the German prisoner-of-war camps, which were located on the territory of the Third Reich at that time. Also the circumstances surrounding the issuing of the order were exceptional indeed. General Leon Berbecki (1874-1963), by education an engineer-technologist, began his military career as an officer of the Russian Tsar’s army. Then he joined the Polish Legions, to stay a professional soldier of the Polish Army, following Poland’s regaining the independence in 1918. He took part in the Russian-Japanese conflict, in military operations of World War I and in the Polish-Bolshevik War. After the outbreak of World War II, then in the rank of a lieutenant general, he was interned in Romania. Next, he was detained in German oflags, where he performed the function of the Senior of the Camp in Oflag VI B Dössel, organized in Nordhein-Westfalen. This was a prestigious function habitually entrusted to an officer with the highest rank, one that could boast of good repute, enjoyed POWs’ trust and was able to represent interests of the POW community in official contacts with the German camp authorities. The Camp Senior had the decisive say as regards many vital questions relating to the camp life: assigning functions to officers to manage individual organizational sections in the camp, beginning with music bands, choir, theatre, library, parcels reception and distribution center, administrative office, through repair shops, bathrooms, camp canteens, and ending with the camp garden. The 4th of July 1943 saw one of the gravest and most tragic aircraft catastrophes in the history of Poland. That day, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army and the Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile, Gen. Władysław Sikorski, died in consequence of the crash of Liberator on the territory of Gibraltar. The General was an ardent advocate of Polish issues on the European and world’s diplomatic arena. His unexpected death struck a blow to Poland and Polish people, causing a dramatic drop in the significance of our country on the international political stage. When the news had reached Oflag VI B Dössel, General Leon Berbecki issued Order 134 on 12 July 1943, in which he announced the plan of commemorating the tragic death of the Polish leader. As a result, having obtained the German camp authorities’ consent, on 14 July 1943 celebrative memorial services took place, including honorary guards assisting the symbolic catafalque. Despite the fact that there were as many followers of General Władysław Sikorski as opponents among the officers-POWs, all of them were united in the face of that death, forgetting about existing political divisions and engaging in the organization of memorial celebrations. Thus, casting some light on the POW camp reality and political moods within the environment of Polish officers interned in Oflag VI B Dössel, Order 134 offers one of their more valuable traces.
Prepared by: Bartosz Janczak
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General Leon Berbecki’s order
Source of acquisition
The document was given over to the Museum by Józef Kobylański, a POW of Oflag VI B Dössel.
Description of the item
A document, typewritten on a sheet of paper of 30cm x 21.5cm, bearing the General Leon Berbecki’s signature by hand, using dark blue-black ink. There are numerous defects visible on the edges of the paper.
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