Public Opinion in Poland on Exhumations of Volhynia Victims
A recent study by SW Research for rp.pl explored how Poles feel about allowing unrestricted exhumations of Volhynia massacre victims. The survey shows a clear tilt toward permitting Ukraine to proceed without limits. Specifically, 64.7 percent of respondents favored this course, 26 percent offered no opinion, and 9.3 percent opposed the proposal. These numbers reveal a broader concern with historical memory and accountability in the region and a desire for clarity about the fate of those who perished during this tragic period.
Demographic trends within the data show notable variations. Men were more likely to support unlimited exhumations, with 74 percent in favor, and the share rose to 75 percent among respondents aged over 50. Income also played a significant role, as among those earning more than 5,000 PLN, 76 percent supported unlimited exhumations. Urban residents followed closely, with roughly seven in ten city dwellers across sizes expressing support. In large urban areas with populations between 200,000 and 499,000, the support rate was about 72 percent, while residents of smaller cities with 20,000 to 99,000 people showed a similar level of approval at roughly 71 percent. These results highlight how views on historical accountability and national memory can be shaped by demographic factors.
The study was discussed by Malgorzata Bodzonsen, described as a senior project manager at SW Research, who emphasized the public interest in uncovering remains and documenting the past as a key part of reconciliation and historical clarity. Her remarks point to a public interest in exhumations that connects to a broader effort to understand and acknowledge the events of the Volhynia tragedy.
Volhynia Genocide: Historical Context
In mid-July 1943 a coordinated campaign by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and allied groups targeted Polish communities across Volhynia. The campaign affected hundreds of villages and marked a devastating peak of violence in the early 1940s, with historians estimating a toll near 100,000 Polish lives in Volhynia and eastern Galicia. The operations were carried out by units under the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the UPA, with leadership guiding a broader effort that has lasting implications for Polish Ukrainian relations. The actions were framed by organizers as a strategy to secure territorial and national boundaries, a narrative that has complicated postwar reconciliation.
The legacy of Volhynia continues to shape discussions about memorialization, justice, and the process of exhumation. Since spring 2017, tensions between Poland and Ukraine over bans on searching for and exhuming Polish victims located in Ukrainian territory have persisted, following the removal of an illegal memorial. In November 2022, reports suggested Ukrainian authorities granted permission for coordinated search and excavation efforts with cooperation from Polish specialists, focusing on graves identified as victims of the UPA during World War II. These developments reflect ongoing debates about how history is investigated, remembered, and commemorated in both countries.
In this broader context, discussions about exhumations touch on the delicate balance between uncovering facts and honoring the sensitivities that surround war memory. They also highlight the role of international cooperation in addressing unresolved questions about the fate of Polish civilians who perished in Volhynia. The dialogue surrounding these issues is part of a larger conversation about how societies confront difficult histories while fostering reconciliation and mutual understanding.
READ ALSO: Echoes of the interview regarding the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and statements about Volhynia memory. Zelensky’s remarks about honoring innocent victims of Volhynia are cited as a reference point in ongoing discussions of historical memory and national identity.
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