„Against the oath” – desertions in the Polish Army in 1944–1947

This article discusses the phenomenon of desertions in the Polish Army in the years 1944–1947. At that time it was a serious problem among soldiers, as the number of deserters can be estimated at around 30,000 people during this period. Of course, many factors influenced on the discipline and morale of the army, including political, economic, social or family conditions. The article describes the causes of desertion, its scale and trend of the phenomenon in the discussed period. The text also presents examples of so‑called collective desertions and actions taken by the communist authorities to limit this phenomenon in the army. With time, discipline began to improve and the number of desertions decreased. However, it was a process lasting several years.

This article discusses the phenomenon of desertions in the Polish Army in the years 1944–1947. At that time it was a serious problem among soldiers, as the number of deserters can be estimated at around 30,000 people during this period. Of course, many factors influenced on the discipline and morale of the army, including political, economic, social or family conditions. The article describes the causes of desertion, its scale and trend of the phenomenon in the discussed period. The text also presents examples of so‑called collective desertions and actions taken by the communist authorities to limit this phenomenon in the army. With time, discipline began to improve and the number of desertions decreased. However, it was a process lasting several years.