The Secret State Series #6
Story of a Secret State stands as one of the most poignant and inspiring memoirs of World War II and the Holocaust. With elements of a spy thriller, documenting his experiences in the Polish Underground, and as one of the first accounts of the systematic slaughter of the Jews by the German Nazis, this volume is a remarkable testimony of one man's courage and a nation's struggle for resistance against overwhelming oppression.
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Albright, a biographical essay by Yale historian Timothy Snyder, an afterword by Zbigniew Brzezinski, previously unpublished photos, notes, further reading, and a glossary—is an apt legacy for this hero of conscience during the most fraught and fragile moment in modern history.
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."
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."
"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 #6:
The Secret State #6 “Hunted”
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
by Jan Karski: Highlights and excerpts by PL Sturgis:
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
by Jan Karski: Highlights and excerpts by PL Sturgis:
The Secret state Series 1: “The Underground” by Jan Karski:
Introduction: During my four and a half months absence while captured by the Russians and the the Germans, Conditions in Poland had changed considerably. The first few conversations made me conscious of the fact that the consolidation of the underground had practically been achieved. The movement had crystallized into the major organization: The coalition of the four largest political parties;
1) The Peasants
2) The Socialist
3) The Christian Labor
4) The Nationalist.
This was the official military organization which had been recognized by the government as a military unit enjoying equal rights with the Polish Army in France. The most important need for that third party was to unite and agree on a chief delegate. The government was not interested in the personality of the candidate, nor his political affiliation, nor was he to become involved in party representation. The government would confirm the appointment of any individual who possessed authority and had the confidence of the population.
(hmmmm? 1940 sounds familiar in 2017)
The Polish underground State to which Karski belonged was under the authority of the Polish government in London. He admitted that besides this organization there were other organizations carrying on their activities under the direct influence of Moscow. Being the first active member of the Polish Underground and in the fortunate position to publish some aspect of its story, he hoped that it would encourage others to relate their experiences and that out of such narratives the free people all over the world would be able to form an objective opinion as to how the Polish people reacted during the years of German conquest.
Daily Bites of The Secret State Series #6:
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
“Hunted”
Bites #11-15,The First Three Weeks:
#12) My Role as a Gardener:
#13) Midnight Underground Guest:
#14) A Familiar Voice:
#15) Returning to Underground Work:
by Jan Karski :
The greatest part of the first three weeks in Danuta’s charming home was spent by recuperating from my illness. I would lie in bed reading or hang about the parlor with it’s creaking floors and many beautiful flowers, gossiping with the servants or examining the portraits which had become pleasantly familiar. Usually I make a special effort to have pleasant relationships and now I was trying even harder to develop this characteristic. I managed to win the hearts of the household staff, insuring their loyalty in that time of stress. The cook was extremely fond of me. She was a solid big boned woman and she looked quite capable of annihilating the entire Nazi regiment, which she often threatened to do so. All the occupants of the house from Danuta’s mother to the kitchen maids were united in an atmosphere of intense loyalty and mutual confidence. It did annoy me to have them abruptly and confusingly discontinue a conversation when I made my appearance. It seemed to me that the entire household was sharing a secret that they could not expose to a stranger. On some nights I thought I heard a rattling of the windows that faced the rear gardens followed by distant voices but I dismissed it as the product of my overwhelming imagination. One night when I was unable to sleep I sat at the window and perceived a girl, whom I assumed to be Danuta, walking with a man in the garden. I thought nothing of it until at the breakfast table, I said casually and jokingly to Danuta: “You should not be out walking late at night. Your feet may get wet and romance and sniffles do not mix.” I could see confusion mounting in her face. “What right have you to go prying? I was not out last night!” Becoming annoyed, I flashed back: “Please don’t tell me I have become blind too? It’s not my business with whom you walk. I see no reason for your outburst of temper!” -- “I was not out last night!” she repeated angrily! I shrugged and dropped the matter.
#12) My Role as a Gardener:
The following week all my uneasiness was diverted in activity. I could no longer delay the inspection tours of the estate. It was necessary in order to sustain my role as a gardener. It had become imperative for me to fill perfectly the requirements of the legend, particularly as I was anxious to get in touch with my liaison officer and obtain some immediate work in the underground. I faced the prospect of inspecting the estate with great anxiety. For one thing, natural history was a closed book for me. I had passed the courses in school only by strenuous study. Danuta and I put our heads together to plan a campaign for the next day. After prolonging our discussion we hit upon the following plan. We would walk through the part of the estate that I was to inspect the next day and Danuta was to coach me on all the necessary observations I would make. It was lovely outdoors, sunny and warm. The pear trees that bordered the house looked tall and graceful and cast deep pools of shadows. we sat down on a bench under one of the trees. We felt relaxed and confident. “Before I tell you of my plans for inspection...” I began, “I wish to apologize for my remarks at the breakfast table.” she interrupted,. “Let’s just forget it. What brilliant advice for the tour as a gardener have you advised?” I rose from the bench in the manner of a professor about to begin a lecture. I knew nothing about plants but I knew a great deal about organizing information and devising methods to circumvent disaster. “As we go through the tour I am going to number the remarks in my notepad and tonight memorize them. What do you think of my plan?” Danuta smiled. “I think it is pure genius” she said. the first inspection was successful. We walked back to the house in high spirits at the success of my debut. As we were about to enter the house she took my arm and said with unexpected seriousness: “Will you walk with me to the bench? I need to tell you something.
#13) Midnight Underground Guest:
We walked to the bench and sat down. Danuta looked carefully around as if to detect any eaves droppers. Satisfied that nobody could hear us, she said: “You were correct the other day when you mentioned that I was walking in the garden. I was in the company of a member of the underground whom I believe you know. We felt you were too ill to be active and believed it would tax your strength too much to undertake any tasks. He will be here tonight. I want you to stay up until he arrives, although I don’t know when that will be.” she rose from the bench. “Don’t look so sober!” she laughed. Before I could question her she tucked her arm under mine and pulled me toward the house. I waited for the arrival of Danuta’s guest that evening with anxiety and deep anticipation. I had been laid up on the shelf so long that I felt I was becoming useless and the faculties I had developed in the underground had begun to rust. Dinner that evening was difficult. By common consent Danuta and I forbade to chide each other. after dessert, Danuta, pleading a headache, slipped up into her room. Later, I went to my room, placed an arm chair in front of the window and made an effort to read. The heat of the day had made me drowsy and I fell asleep. Some time past midnight I felt a hand on my shoulder. I awoke startled and a bit hostile. It was Danuta. She whispered gently: “Our underground guest is in the garden waiting for you. Come in ten minutes, will you?”
#14) A Familiar Voice:
I tiptoed down the stairs out into the garden. I peered about in the darkness. Suddenly I heard Danuta speaking with someone whose voice sounded familiar. It was a man but I could not recognize who he was. Danuta was weeping and complaining how the Germans were taking all the farm’s produce and what was worse was worrying about him being safe. I was surprised by this change in her. She always seemed so self reliant. She was usually happy and confident. The man was trying to reassure her. I came closer and was astonished to learn that the voice that sounded so familiar was that of the liaison officer who had visited me in the barn where I had stayed for three days after escaping from the Preszar Hospital. His appearance had not changed. He was still the same debonair and polite young officer. He turned to me with a wide smile. “How are you, Friend? How has Danuta been treating you? If she has treated you badly you have my permission to put her over your knee! I replied: “She is a very wicked girl but I have become used to suffering.” I said jokingly. When I complimented him for his work in the underground he quickly replied, looking highly pleased and a bit embarrassed: “It is nice of you to say so but I am here to discuss your problems and not my abilities. Then he turned to Danuta. “Bring us some food please? We have to discuss something alone and anyway I am very hungry.” She left without a word. I wondered if he were her husband or perhaps her fiancee. I dared not ask but there was something very mysterious about this and I knew he was the one to clear it up.
#15) Returning to Underground Work:
The young underground guide lay down on the grass with a weary sigh and put his hands behind his head. I did not want to break the silence. At last he spoke, still looking up into the sky. “I want to tell you something” he said, looking embarrassed. “You know that you are here in this house alone with Danuta. You know that she is an honest girl?” I was genuinely puzzled. “Why are you saying all this?” I asked. He burst out laughing. “Why are you so careful about Danuta? Is she your wife?” I asked. “No” he said, “She is my sister.” Danuta came back with the food. “Let us get down to business now,” he said. “I need to know how you are feeling?” I told him I am much better than when I arrived here and I need some work to do. Ifelt as if I was wasting my time. It seemed the Gestapo had given up their search of me. I didn’t think they could recognize me even if they found me. My appearance had drastically changed. The young guide Lucien, looked at me with candor and sincerity, which was so engaging a trait of his. “What kind of work should you like to do?” he asked. After considering the question, I answered. “Taking all consideration into account, such as my physical weakness and my general experience in journalism and propaganda techniques, I think I would fit mostly into the propaganda branch.” He left then and promised he would have an answer for me in a few days.
(to be continued) ....
(To be continued )
Daily Bites of The Secret State Series #6
“Hunted:”
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
#17) My Letter to the Polish Citizens:
#18) Creating a Masterpiece:
#19) Denationalizing Poland:
#20) Suspecting a Traitor:
#18) Creating a Masterpiece:
#19) Denationalizing Poland:
#20) Suspecting a Traitor:
by Jan Karski 1944 :
“From The Secret State”
#1) Hiding Out:
#2) Three Days of Confinement:
#3) Breach of Discipline:
#4) A Touch of Underground Measles:
#5) The Farmer’s Daughter:
#6) Meeting the New Me:
#7) Out of my Shell:
#8) Trading the old Coat for the New:
#9) At Home on the Farm:
#10) Getting Acquainted:
#11) The First Three Weeks:
#12) My Role as a Gardener:
#13) Midnight Underground Guest:
#14) A Familiar Voice:
#15) Returning to Underground Work:
#16) Back in the Saddle:
#17) My Letter to the Polish Citizens:
#18) Creating a Masterpiece:
#19) Denationalizing Poland:
#20) Suspecting a Traitor:
#21) The Fraudulent Letter:
#22) The Underground Stranger:
#23) A Secret Task:
#24) A Favor Based on Trust:
#25) Mysterious Rescue:
#26) A Bloody Fight:
#27) Emotions of Guilt:
#28) Committing a Crime or Saving a Life?
#29) Destroying documents:
#30) Leaving for Cracow:
LibertygroupFreedom
https://redd.it/6y400k
“Hunted”
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
From Polish Officer to German Slave: 1944
"FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM AND LIBERTY"
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