Description
Upon arrival in remote areas of the Soviet Union, they were deposited in prisons, labor camps, special settlements, and collective farms, and subjected to tremendous hardships and oppressive conditions. In 1942, some 115,000 Polish citizens-only a portion of those initially exiled from their homeland-were evacuated to Iran. There they were asked to complete extensive questionnaires about their experiences.
Having read and reviewed hundreds of these documents, Jolluck reveals not only the harsh treatment these women experienced, but also how they maintained their identities as respectable women and patriotic Poles. She finds that for those exiled, the ways in which they strove to recreate home in a foreign and hostile environment became a key means of their survival.
Both a harrowing account of brutality and suffering and a clear analysis of civilian experiences in wartime, Exile and Identity expands the history of war far beyond the military battlefield.
About the Author
Katherine R. Jolluck is a senior lecturer in the department of history at Stanford University.
Book Information
ISBN 9780822959502
Author Katherine Jolluck
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint University of Pittsburgh Press
Publisher University of Pittsburgh Press