Operation “Vistula”: Communist crimes against Ukrainians
film with Polish subtitles
In the latest documentary by the Realna Istorija channel, we take a close look at one of the most dramatic and painful episodes in the post-war history of Poles and Ukrainians – Operation “Vistula” of 1947. Was it a political and military necessity in the context of the struggle against the underground Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)? Or was it rather a brutal act of ethnic cleansing aimed at the Ukrainian community living in south-eastern Poland?
The official pretext for launching the operation was the assassination of Red Army General Karol Świerczewski – then Communist Deputy Minister of Defence of Poland – by a UPA unit. However, documents and historians’ research show that the decision to carry out the operation had been taken earlier, and its real aim was the assimilation and dispersal of the Ukrainian population, so that it would lose its national and religious identity.
The film presents the broad political and social context: the post-war border shifts, earlier “voluntary” population exchanges between Poland and the USSR, the activities of both the Polish and Ukrainian underground, as well as the propaganda justifications of the Communist authorities. Special attention is given to the fate of the displaced: the loss of homes, the burning of entire villages, the ban on using the Ukrainian language and practising religion, as well as the trauma that was passed on to subsequent generations.
Why does this story matter today?
Operation “Vistula” is a story about an attempt to annihilate a community by destroying its cultural foundations. At the same time, it raises questions about memory, reconciliation, and responsibility – how can Poles and Ukrainians today look together at this crime, honour its victims, and avoid the manipulation of the past?
The film features perspectives from historians from both Poland and Ukraine:
- Prof. Igor Hałagida (University of Gdańsk)
- Dr Volodymyr Viatrovych (Member of the Verkhovna Rada, historian)
Their insights shed light on both the political mechanisms that led to the expulsions and the human tragedies that accompanied them. Both call for an open dialogue about the shared past.
This is the next instalment of the Realna Istorija series, in which we confront the most painful chapters of Polish-Ukrainian history, presenting them through the lens of facts rather than ideology.