Posted on 04/23/2007 10:55:55 AM PDT by JoAnka
Symbolic justice has been done to four stalinist-era functionaries. They abused and tortured Polish army officers over 50 years ago, in a plot which cost the freedom and lives of tens of innocent people.
Four stalinist-times prosecutors have been sentenced to prison in suspension for physical and psychological abuse of Polish army officers in the years 1949-1952. The guilty communist functionaries will not, however, actively serve their 14 months to 2 years prison sentences due to their old age. The court decided on a symbolic verdict:
'This sentence must make the accused realize that what they did in those dark times was not good and had the features of criminal offence. In the opinion of the court, even in those times it was possible to retain one's humanity or at least the appearance of it, which the accused failed to do.'
The accused are three communist military intelligence officers: Marian Popiołek, Kazimierz Turczyński, Zbigniew Krauze, and one functionary of the security office, Czesław Świstek. The court pronounced them guilty of abuse and torture on the arrested Polish army generals Stefan Mossor, Stanisław Tatar and Józef Kuropieska, and colonel Marian Utnik.
Back in late 1940s and early 1950s, the victims had been arrested and put on trial for political reasons, based on fabricated evidence. As a result, they were unjustly sentenced for long prison terms, including life imprisonment for general Tatar of the Home Army. Twenty other officers were later executed in a series of related trials.
The communist functionaries now proven by court to be responsible for this, today deny the charges and intend to appeal the verdict.
'In all my life, I don't recall abusing anyone.'
'This kind of conduct is not in my nature.'
The children of the victims are satisfied with the long awaited verdict, even though it is more of a symbolic punishment.
'Finally, after 50 years, justice has been done.'
'I expected them to be sentenced and that's why I am satisfied. Their guilt was proven. At the same time, I am glad that it was not revenge. Because I see revenge as something wrong, even in a case like this one, pertaining to my father and those close to me.'
In that darkest period of communist regime in Poland, functionaries such as those sentenced in the present trial, played a major part in oppressing the citizens, explains historian Paweł Machcewicz:
'In the 1940s and 1950s, till 1956, the communist system in Poland was extremely brutal and repressive. Approximately fifty thousand people were imprisoned for political reasons, two hundred thousand were sent to labor camps, around five thousand people were executed for political reasons. Prosecutors had a very important part in this system of repression. Their part in these crimes is really very considerable.'
These kinds of crimes have gone unpunished for over half a century and only recently it became possible to bring them to justice and provide closure for families of the victims, continues historian Paweł Machcewicz.
'The Nazi crimes from the second world war are prosecuted even after more than sixty years. We should also realize, that under the communist regime it was impossible to prosecute these crimes. The legal possibilities opened only after the collapse of communism, in the 1990s and especially, with the creation of the Institute of National Remembrance in the year 2000. So, in fact, only in the last few years there appeared legal possibilities and specialized institutions, which could initiate prosecution of these communist crimes.'
Coming back to these past crimes, even half a century after they were committed, is a question of elementary justice, says historian Paweł Machcewicz. Rather than revenge, Polish society needs to settle accounts with the past to be able to move on to the future.
'All available opinion polls show that the majority of Poles support various institutions and legal solutions which help come to terms with the difficult past. I see it as a necessary and symbolic process, which should not be neglected by the democratic and independent Polish state.'
ping?
My Cousins Estonian in laws are more moderate, they would only hang them. A lot of good hate there.
I sometimes wish that we would harangue the communist sympathizers (fellow travelers) in this country. Those who were friendly to the communist regimes, are nothing more or less than enablers to mass murders.
The 20th century was the bloodiest century in recorded human history. NOTHING ELSE COMES EVEN CLOSE! All of this is thanks in large part to the communists.
We should have the same dedicated going after Communist criminals, whether from Eastern Europe, Red china, North vietnam, Cuber, or wherever. What they did was just as heinous and evil as the Nazis. Not as a quest for vengeance, but to seek true justice.
You have made the first step, you found FRee Republic, the second step is to get active politically, you are only as FRee as you want to be, fight back.
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