The Secret State Series #1
Karski was a brilliant young diplomat when war broke out in 1939 with Hitler's invasion of Poland. Taken prisoner by the Soviet Red Army, which had simultaneously invaded from the East, Karski narrowly escaped the subsequent Katyn Forest Massacre. He became a member of the Polish Underground, the most significant resistance movement in occupied Europe, acting as a liaison and courier between the Underground and the Polish government-in-exile. He was twice smuggled into the Warsaw Ghetto, and entered the Nazi's Izbica transit camp disguised as a guard, witnessing first-hand the horrors of the Holocaust.
Karski's courage and testimony, conveyed in a breathtaking manner in Story of a Secret State, offer the narrative of one of the world's greatest eyewitnesses and an inspiration for all of humanity, emboldening each of us to rise to the challenge of standing up against evil and for human rights. This definitive edition—which includes a foreword by Madeleine Albright, a biographical essay by Yale historian Timothy Snyder, an afterword by Zbigniew Brzezinski, previously unpublished photos, notes, further reading, and a glossary—is an apt legacy for this hero of conscience during the most fraught and fragile moment in modern history.
Jan Karski was born in ód , Poland, in 1914.
He received a degree in Law and Diplomatic Science in 1935 and served as a liaison officer of the Polish Underground during World War II. He carried the first eyewitness report of the Holocaust to a mostly unbelieving West, meeting with President Roosevelt in 1943 to plead for Allied intervention. Story of a Secret State was originally published in 1944, becoming a bestseller and Book of the Month Club selection. After the war, Karski earned his PhD at Georgetown University, where he served as a distinguished professor in the School of Foreign Service for forty years. He died in Washington, DC, in 2000. Karski has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. In 2012, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by our President.
"His wartime saga as officer, as Soviet prisoner, as escapee, in the hands of the Gestapo, and as a Polish Underground activist and courier, is beyond remarkable. In a world today where words such as 'courage' and 'heroism' have been so overused—applied freely from sports to entertainment to politics as to be rendered practically meaningless—Jan Karski was the rare human being who embodied both."
"In the words of James Russell Lowell's rousing hymn:
'Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, in the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side.' Perhaps more than most of us, Jan Karski faced such a choice in the starkest of possible terms, and made his decision as courageously as one could. . . . Jan Karski was a patriot and a truth teller; may his words always be read and his legacy never forgotten."Secret State is an indispensable and compelling historical document of World War II and the Holocaust, written by a supremely courageous humanitarian."
The Secret State Series #1:
The Underground by Jan Karski 1944 Highlights and excerpts by PL Sturgis:
Pro Script: “I do not pretend to have given an exhaustive picture of the Polish Underground, its organization, and its activities. Because of our methods I believe there is no one today who could give an all embracing recital. This could be possible only after the war with the aid of information yet to be gathered and checked. This is purely a personal story, my story. I have tried to recall everything I have experienced, to tell about my own activities and to recount the deeds of all those with whom I had actual contact.
Poland’s underground State, to which I belonged, was under the authority of the Polish Government in London. I know that, besides this organization, there were other elements carrying on their activities under the direction or the influence of Moscow. Because of my sincere intention to describe only my personal experience, their activities could not possibly be included in my story. Being the First active Member of the Polish Underground in the fortunate position to publish some aspects of its story, I hope that it will encourage others to relate their experiences, and that out of such narratives the free people all over the world will be able to form an objective opinion as to how the Polish people reacted during the years of German concept. Jan Karski:
Daily Bites of The Secret State Series #1:
Daily Bites of The Secret State Series #1:
“The Underground”
Bite #15,Hazardous Possibilities:
by Jan Karski:
I spent little time thinking of the injustice of my lot. I spent nearly every moment scheming and going over every possibility of a means of escape. To get out of the camp would not have been difficult but we were balked with the impossibility of getting aboard a train. With our uniforms and not knowing the language seemed very dangerous. Nevertheless, it was a hazardous possibility.
With a fellow prisoner, Lieutenant Kurpios, an important and resourceful young man, who would have been willing to risk a head on assault on a Russian guard if he thought it offered a chance of success, it was a possibility. But then, the Lieutenant did come up with a simpler plan. One day after the daily meal I was on my way back to work when he stopped me. He was breathing hard and flushed with excitement. He whispered, “I have a good idea and I think it will work!” When I whispered back, “What is it?” a Russian guard about 30 paces off was gazing at us suspiciously. I continued to walk on and told my friend he looks like he is about to blow up the camp and he has got to calm down.
He understood and fell in beside me till it looked like 2 prisoners casually strolling. He told me there was an exchange of prisoners to take place soon according to the “Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.” One of the provisions was to be an exchange of prisoners who held no higher rank than private. Germans were to release to Russia all white Russians and Ukrainians. Russians were to release to Germany all Polish of German descent as well as those born in territories. Lodz qualified me and I had my birth certificate. I could have shouted for joy to think of getting to the position where the Polish army was fighting the Germans. the Lieutenant promised to meet me in Warsaw if we got separated. I was never able to obtain any more news about him.
(to be continued) ....
(To be continued )
Daily Bites of The Secret State Series #1
by Jan Karski 1944 :
“From The Secret State”
#17) Under German Control:
#18) Crossing over the Bridge:
#19) Another Two Day Journey:
#20) Insane Brutality:
#21) Three Robust Men:
#22) Transported for Forced Labor:
#23) Now or Never:
#24) To the Citizens of Poland:
#25) Risking Escape:
#26) Searching for Shelter:
#27) The Polish Patriot:
#28) Priceless Hospitality:
#29) Shocking News:
#30) No Longer a Poland 1944:
Note: We at Friends of Liberty cannot make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information.
Don't forget to follow the Friends Of Liberty on Facebook and our Page also Pinterest , Twitter , Tumblr and Google Plus PLEASE help spread the word by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.
Friends of Liberty is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with the mission to Educate, protect and defend individual freedoms and individual rights.
Support the Trump Presidency and help us fight Liberal Media Bias. Please LIKE and SHARE this story on Facebook or Twitter.
Join The Resistance and Share This Article Now!
To be Continued in the Next Daily Bites of “The Secret State Series #1”
Stand Up To Government Corruption and Hypocrisy
NEVER FORGET THE SACRIFICES
BY OUR VETERANS Note: We at Friends of Liberty cannot make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information.
Don't forget to follow the Friends Of Liberty on Facebook and our Page also Pinterest , Twitter , Tumblr and Google Plus PLEASE help spread the word by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.
Friends of Liberty is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with the mission to Educate, protect and defend individual freedoms and individual rights.
Support the Trump Presidency and help us fight Liberal Media Bias. Please LIKE and SHARE this story on Facebook or Twitter.
WE THE PEOPLE
TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Join The Resistance and Share This Article Now!
‼️️ ♻️ PLEASE SHARE ♻️ ‼️️
Share this story on Facebook and let us know because we want to hear YOUR voice!
Share this story on Facebook and let us know because we want to hear YOUR voice!
No comments:
Post a Comment