This was the title of the book that my father gave me to read which explained how he and his family, amongst many thousands of others, were “liberated” from their homes in February to April 1940, for being “enemies of the people”. The weeks before had seen the breadwinners being taken off and imprisoned and later shot in what was to be known as the crime of Katyń; meanwhile the families were deported – transported – to the wastes of Siberia by cattle truck. A three or four week journey where many died on the way.

The recent news of course reminds us of the horrors of the soviet excesses. Will it be any different now? Putin has come in to “liberate” the Ukrainians. Orwellian newspeak par excellence.

The picture is of my father’s family home in Lwów. We went there 4 years ago, hoping to go back soon. The…