The First Year. The origin and Activity of Public Security Apparatus in Lublin Area (July 1944-June 1945)

The book describes the first year of the activity of the apparatus of public security. It was a very particular period for the Lublin area - “when Lublin was being Warsaw”- as it was described by the communist historians. The book includes instructions, orders, recommendations of the Ministry of Public Security and the Regional Office of Public Security in Lublin as well as reports and memos of the local units. They all give an idea of the ruthless methods of gaining power by the communists and of methods of subordinating the Polish society. The documents also show the crucial role of the Soviets in forming the “Polish” security apparatus.
Documents from this volume are stored in the Archives of Lublin branch of IPN. They had never been published before with the complete scientific references. Yet “Manifest PKWN” is an exception. Although the manifest had been often published before it seemed right to publish it this time as well. The manifest constituted basis for the “new rule” of communists in Poland and the selection of documents show the methods and circumstances which accompanied the manifest’s coming into force.
The documents are arranged in chronological order in five thematic blocs:
- “Founding Act”
- “Personal Orders”
- “Normative Files”
- “Reports and Memos”
- “Notes from Briefing”

The publication’s aim is to provide information about the circumstances of origin of the repression apparatus in Poland and methods of its activity in the first year of its activity. The editorial staff express hope that the publication will fill in the empty space in historiography and will provide assistance in further research on history of Poland after the war.