Poland India Relations Explained; PM Modi | Hitler Nazi Army – World War | The King of Jamnagar became ‘Bapu’ for the children of Poland: The world rejected him, but India accepted him; now PM Modi has come to pay tribute

The footage shows Polish citizens freed from Russian captivity. They were the first to reach Iran. (Credit – British Pathe)

Date: 1 September 1939This was the day when the most terrible war in history began from the land of Poland. On this day Hitler’s Nazi army attacked Poland. Exactly 16 days later, Soviet Union’s dictator Stalin attacked from the other end and divided Poland into two parts.

The joint attack by Hitler and Stalin devastated Poland. Thousands of children were separated from their parents. Welsh historian Norman Davies describes in his book Heart of Europe that 2 million people from Poland were loaded onto trains and deported to Arctic Russia, Siberia and Kazakhstan of the United State of Soviet Russia (USSR). These included orphaned children of Polish soldiers.

Most of the people arrested were Jews. They were kept in labour camps in Siberia, which are called Gulag. Here the prisoners were given just one piece of bread to eat, on which they survived for many days. During this deportation which lasted from 1939-40, about 10 lakh people died.

Everyone knows this story, but very few people would know that these captives found a new home in India, 1460 kilometers away from the Gulag in Siberia. How did these people travel to India? How a king from Gujarat became a family for these orphaned children. In this story, we will know how the people of India and Poland came closer during the Second World War…

The picture is of children imprisoned in a Gulag in Siberia. After being arrested, they were not even given one meal a day. (Credit – Google Art and Culture)

Hitler breaks the agreement with Stalin, attacks the Soviet Union
On 22 July 1941, Hitler broke his promise to Stalin and attacked the Soviet Union (USSR), and with this a new hope arose for the prisoners of Gulag. USSR joined hands with the Allied forces formed against Nazi Germany. Under the new agreement, Stalin agreed to form a Polish army and the arrested people were released.

Thousands of Polish citizens, freed from Soviet captivity, moved towards Central Asia. In March and August 1942, 38,000 refugees reached Iran. Most of them were women and children. They were kept in special camps in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Ahvaz. Meanwhile, the search for a permanent place for these children began.

While on one hand the Jews were being massacred in Europe and especially in Germany, on the other hand the British government in India was not ready to give shelter to the Jewish refugees. They had laid down tough conditions citing the need for special camps and educational facilities for the refugees.

The condition of these children, who were battling between life and death during their journey from one country to another for 2 years, was very bad. Due to starvation and malnutrition, these children had become like skeletons. Their hair had grown and they were wearing torn and old clothes. Meanwhile, the Polish Consulate Office in Bombay, 2800 km away from Tehran, decided to help the Jewish refugees.

In the picture, Maharaja Digvijay Singhji of Nawanagar with children from Poland during a program.

The Maharaja of Navanagar built a ‘home away from home’
Consulate officer Banasinki, along with his wife Kira, spread the news of the plight of Jewish children to the royal families of India. Slowly, this news reached Navanagar in Gujarat, which has a population of 5 lakhs. This princely state, famous for Asiatic lions, was ruled by Maharaja Digvijay Singhji Ranjit Singhji Jadeja, who had the title of Jam Saheb.

Digvijay Singh ji was deeply saddened by the atrocities on the children. He decided to help them. Amidst the ongoing campaign against the British rule in the country, he built a ‘home away from home’ for Polish children in Navanagar. During this time, he also fulfilled all the conditions necessary to get permission from the British government.

After all the arrangements were made, the Polish refugees were brought to India from Iran via Afghanistan. The Maharaja allowed the ship to stop at the Rossi port of his kingdom. After this, refugee camps were set up in Balachadi town near the coast within one night. It was about 25 km away from Jamnagar. 500 orphan children aged between 2 and 17 years took shelter here.

Dormitories were built for the orphans, where everything from bedding to essential items and clothes were available. Maharaj Digvijay Singhji organized a special feast to welcome the children. He said, “Now you are not orphans. You are a part of Navanagar. You may not have any family but from now on I am your father.”

Special camps, schools and dormitories were built for the children coming from Poland. All their needs were taken care of here. (Credit – Google Art and Culture)

Chefs from Poland came for children, taught Polish culture in India
In Jamnagar, a special chef was called from Poland to prepare food keeping in mind the taste of the children. The chef converted his guest house into a school for the children. Here, Polish priest Father Franciszek Pluta taught them. The school also had a library, where books related to the history of Poland were present. Its purpose was to keep the children connected to their motherland.

Apart from children, a refugee camp was set up for the rest of the Polish refugees in Valivade near Kolhapur city of Maharashtra. About 5 thousand people took shelter here. Maharaja Digvijay Singhji built 1000 houses in his summer residence in Balachadi for the refugees who came from Poland. Apart from this, he also opened some parts of his palace for the refugees.

The Maharaja also founded the Polish Children’s Fund. After this, Digvijay Singhji joined hands with about 80 kings and nobles from all over the country and collected donations for the care of the children. Initially, the children used to hide in their rooms on hearing the sound of an airplane passing over their dormitories. However, gradually they adapted to the lifestyle of West India.

Maharaj Digvijay Singhji used to visit the camp regularly. During this time he used to organize competitions. The children who won these competitions were awarded. The children of Poland used to lovingly call Maharaj Digvijay Singhji as Bapu.

Maharaja Digvijay Singhji received Poland’s highest civilian honor
The Second World War finally ended in 1945 and Poland was liberated. By 1948, most Polish citizens returned to the country. Together, they formed an organization called Association of Poles in India 1942-48. They started calling themselves ‘Survivors of Balachadi’.

Nearly 18 years after the return of the citizens of Poland, Jam Saheb of Nawanagar passed away. After this, he was awarded Poland’s highest civilian honor, the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit. To pay tribute to Digvijay Singhji, a square in the capital of Poland has been named ‘Good Maharaj’. Apart from this, 8 schools have been named after him and a tram has also been started in the name of Dobri Maharaj in 2022.

References:

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