The Regime of Violence in Socialist and Postsocialist Poland

Attitudes towards Minorities in Post‐communist and Democratic Poland

“…The rights of citizens were restricted and the political hegemony of the communist party was maintained by repressive legal measures and an unjust criminal system. Fleming () claimed that structural and subjective violence were the main methods of exerting dominance and power by the Polish Workers' Party (PWP), the communist party, while hindering freedoms of individuals and communities. Imprisonment of political opponents, censorship, propaganda, and nationalism suffused post‐war communist policies.…”

“…In addition, party leaders realized that, as a result of war, the Poles had become less tolerant towards national minorities. Fleming () suggests that those negative sentiments were manifested via subjective violence directed towards minority groups. Through various policies (e.g.…”

“…According to Fleming (), one form of structural violence is enabling the majority group to exert power and dominance over various minorities. As mentioned before, the communist party and the government believed that in order to legitimize their power and rebuild the country destroyed by war, Poland should become a homogenous state.…”

“…As mentioned before, the communist party and the government believed that in order to legitimize their power and rebuild the country destroyed by war, Poland should become a homogenous state. This seemingly controversial policy was supported not only by the communists in Poland and by the communist leaders in the Soviet Union, but also by the Polish Government in Exile, the Catholic Church, and by the governments of the Western European countries (Fleming , ; Lehmann ). Ultimately, many Poles came to agree with the pertinence and usefulness of these communist policies.…”

“…Ultimately, many Poles came to agree with the pertinence and usefulness of these communist policies. ‘Operation Swallow’, conducted with assistance from British officials, led to moving 1.5 million Germans from Poland to Germany, and the Polish operation ‘Action Vistula’ of 1947 led to removal of approximately 140,000 Ukrainians from the southeast of Poland to distant regions within Poland (Fleming ; Lehmann ; Vermeersch ). In addition, Lehmann () indicates that between 1944 and 1946 approximately 480,000 individuals classified as Ukrainians were forcefully transported from Poland to the Ukrainian Republic of the Soviet Union.…”