Savaria - A Vas Megyei Múzeumok értesítője 9-10. (1975-1976) (Szombathely, 1980)

Helytörténet - Lagzi István: A Nyugat-Magyarországon elhelyezett lengyel katonai menekültek történetének néhány kérdése

In Nagykanizsa the refugees could also count on the officers of the garrison, the bank manager and the mayor. The majority of the village intelligentsia also manifested their pro-Polish feelings. In the villages Letkés, Bük, Szentgotthárd teachers and schoolmasters offered their help, in Kapuvár, Fertőszentmiklós physicians, pharmacists, artisans of several crafts and farmers helped the emigrants. Between Sopron and Győr and all along the Yugoslavian border railway men became friends with the Polish. Several sources and memoirs lead to the conclusion that some gendermes and border guards were also ready to pass over in silence the "desertion" of the refugees. Even the soldiers in charge of guarding the camps were sympathetic with them. The students of the Sopron High School of Mining and Forestry and those of the Mosonmagyaróvár Agricultural High school tried to do everything that was possible for the Polish. Germany's envoy to Hungary himself reproached the physicians in Győr for helping the Polish emigrants.

13-14 Characteristics of the camplife Within some days the majority of the Poles having arrived at Hungary became members of the "permanent camp staff". Financially the refugees were supported by the Polish-Hungarian Committee for Refugees and the 9th Department of the Ministry of the Interior. Military persons were taken care of by the 21st Department of the Ministry of the Interior. Numerous Polish organs

—established in Hungary

—dealt with the affairs of the refugees. The main organization for civic refugees was called Komitet Obywatelski dla Spraw Uchodzcami Polskimi na Wenrzech (Civic Committee for Administering the Affairs of Polish Refugees in Hungary), á political organ of business federation. The chairman, Henryk Slawik, acted as a representative of the Minister of Welfare of the emigre government. A physician-general, dr. Jan Kollataj-Srzednicki was the first chief of the Polish Medical Service, he was followed by the general editor of the newspaper Wiesci Polskié, then by Zbigniew Kosciuszko. The undisturbed service of both the Polish Institute (Instytut Polski) and the Polish Library (Bibliotéka Polska) was ensured even after the outbreak of the Second World War. Church life was organized by Katolickie Duszpasterstwo na Uchodzcami Polskimi na terenie Krlólestwie Wegier (Catholic Pastorial Office of Polish Refugees in Hungary), headed by Chaplain General Karol Mieczyslaw Radonski. The organ of federation of military persons was Predstawicielstwo Polskich Zolnierzy Internowanych w Królestwie Wegier узко organ 21. oddzial M. H. (Federation of Polish Soldiers Interned to the Hungarian Kingdom as the organ of the 21st department of the Ministry of the Interior). The brigade general Stefan Dembinski, first commander of the fedaration had the title of Representative of the Polish Army Interned to Hungary. '

5 Civil refugees were obliged to personally appear at police organs of the first instance at certain times. Military persons were more severely treated. Members of the armed forces in Hungary were interned. With the support of Hungarian military authorities several legal commutes, courses and workshops were organized. For the medical treatment of the military refugees some institutes were set up: a Polish hospital in Győr, a sanatorium at Letkés and а Т. B. hospital at Eger. Civil refugees were cured by local doctors and hospitals. As we have already mentioned, the refugees were received kind-heartedly. They were always treated with understanding and politeness. In the first months it was mainly the Polish officers who got in the centre of attention. At numerous settlements there were friendly meetings organized between the Hungarian members of the garrison and interned Polish officers.

18 The refugees also tried to adapt to local traditions, to the everyday life of the population. 295