The Road to Katyn

Despite the recent Soviet admission of guilt, the Katyn massacre in 1940, in which over 4000 Polish prisoners-of-war were shot, remains one of the most debated events of the World War II. Indeed, some Soviet officials continue to deny their country's responsibility. Salomon Slowes was a Jewish officer in the Polish army who formed part of the group taken prisoner by the Soviets in September 1939. After the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the Polish government-in-exile arranged the release of the prisoners to fight the Nazis alongside the Soviet army. A surprise awaited the organizers of the Polish force - over 15000 men from the group had disappeared. Not until 1943 were the mass graves in the Katyn forest discovered, where 4000 had been shot in the back at close range. In this personal testimony, Salomon Slowes casts light on the developments leading to the massacre which, "by miracle and blind fate", he survived.