The Soviet Occupation of Eastern Poland (1939 – 1941)

The Soviet occupation of Eastern Poland started after the Soviet invasion of Poland (1939) was finished. It was the result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact which was a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union. It paved the way for Stalin to capture the former territories of the Russian Empire that were now in the Second Polish Republic. After the Soviets seized control of Eastern Poland a process of sovietization was set in motion. Furthermore, countless of Poles and Ukrainians were arrested, tortured and executed or deported to Siberia or Kazakhstan where many would perish. This is the tragic story of Soviet repression in Eastern Poland.
History Hustle presents: The Soviet Occupation of Eastern Poland (1939 – 1941).

Recorded in August 2020 in Białystok, Poland.

SOURCES
* Bloodlands. Europe Between Hitler And Stalin (Timothy Snyder).
* Russia's War (Richard Overy).

IMAGES

VIDEO
Video material from
October Revolution Parade, Lvov 1939
Soviet Lvov (1940) (English Subtitles)
"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

MUSIC
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

[HistoryHustle]

Learn about the MOLOTOV-RIBBENTROP PACT:

[David-ooip]

Can we just take a second to appreciate the amount of work that went into this video and channel?

[johnryder]

Thank you Stefan for helping us to remember the terrible times for the brave people of Poland

[_MegasAlexandros_]

Hi, im french-polish and your Chanel is very good, you speak a lot about poland history, its rare and i appreciate. Thanks you 👍

[gaditya]

This is one of my most favorite topics, well framed video mate. In my view Poland is one of the most difficult to defend terrain, for the past 200 years, it was only fully independent for very less time. After Soviet collapse did Poland achieve its complete independence. No wonder their national song says "Poland is not lost yet"

[ulvjakt]

Highly underrated channel. Between you and Mark Felton, I can't get enough content

[luxembourgishempire]

Very interesting topic. And very well done video! Keep it up!

[Artur_M.]

Thank you for spreading the knowledge about this topic!

[rejekt]

I am German and live in Białystok, I go to train my dog exactly where you were standing (behind the Sybir Memorial Museum).
It's amazing the work you are putting into these videos (who comes to Białystok???), really enjoying your content. Thanks!

Thankfully we live in other times nowadays, you are helping us to remember to appreciate what we have.

[CHARN_]

how is it possible that you have 40k subs and still just such a low amount of views for this high quality content? wish you the best!

[villanovakid]

I recently discovered your channel. I thoroughly enjoy your videos.

[robertbennett]

The Soviet Union in 1939 advanced westwards to the Versailles Treaty border of Poland That is the present eastern border of Poland and it is called the Curzon Line...give or take a few kilometres.

[Tsvenom]

Wow great content why are you so underrated this is just sad...btw love ur content

[mikemancuso]

My Polish relatives told me terribles stories about it. Greetings from Canada.

[rebralhunter]

Yo Stefan, I love all ofbthese videos on Poland. Really cool to see people covering some lesser know events. Do you have an idea of what country is next or if you do another country like this? Id imagine its a lot of work.

[DavidJones-ocup]

Another great video. I live in the Czech Republic, and knew a couple from Lviv. The wife told me she has Polish relatives even though she and her husband are Ukrainian. I started to visit Lviv two years ago, because I want to see the city, and the couple offered to contact their friends to look after me, but my money was stretched rather thin and I couldn’t. With US passports not welcomed in so many places now, I think I will wait a bit. But I enjoyed your video.😀

[Digmen]

very well done
It was so sad what happened to all those Polish people.
I am British and ashamed of how Britain and France did not invade Germany in 1939!

[LeftistUprising]

I'm a big fan of yours and the Cold War Channel. Your knowledge base is amazing.

[marcelgroen]

Thanks for sharing again of this partly unknown piece of history, Stefan. (how) can we help increase your viewers?

[jakubiszon]

Respect for saying "Lwów". We hear the things like "We say Danzig because that's how the city was called at the time" from people who would only refer to Lwów as Lviv - You know, because they're historically accurate :)