The plight of the Lemkos in Poland does not just equate to “Aksja Wisla”, the operation that instituted the forced resettlement of Lemkos to western Poland. Merely labeling it as this removes the purposeful campaign to erase the idea of Lemkovyna altogether, never mind the stories of the crippling trauma and permanent cultural erasure that occurred. In fact, one could argue that the crimes committed by the Polish and Soviet governments rose to a level far greater than forced relocation. In a short span of just a few years, there is a list of heinous actions that not only has the Polish government largely denied responsibility for, but has done nothing to change to make up for their actions. But what exactly do we mean when we say there is more to the story?

The Lemko Ethnocide was the ethnic cleansing and forced assimilation policy conducted by the Polish government against the Lemko people that began in 1945 and ended in 1947 when the last Lemkos were exiled to western Poland. After this period was the Decades of Silence where the Rusyn identity and language were banned until the fall of communism in 1991.

When understanding why we date the start of this ethnocide in 1945 instead of 1947, it’s important to understand that Operation Vistula (Aksja Wisla) was not the only displacement event that occurred in the region. As was common in the 20th century, a policy of Rusyn erasure occurred where Lemko-Rusyns were labeled as Ukrainians even with plenty of evidence to the contrary. Lemko-Rusyns would be grouped with those in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) by local authorities even though their population had little to do with this foreign force. It was instead the remnants of the Galician and Volhynian ultranationalists aligned with the OUN-B and OUN-M. Dozens of massacres involving Polish civilians would occur with entire villages being burnt down in the process. When it became clear to the Polish and Soviet governments something must be done to neutralize this army, they refused to make any distinction between us and them.

Protjahom dakôljkoch akcij «vyminy naselinja» Lemku i Ukrajincju z prihraničnych regionu vyslano do Sovitskoj Ukrajiny, dakotrych onj na Donbass (Radio Free Europe toto instrument hamerickoj propagandy, ajbo video vartat uvahy). Vekšostj pereselenych najšli sja na Zapadnôj Ukrajinï, de sja prisochtovali do ukrajinskoj kultury i žytja. Na počatku akciji «Visla» historično zaseleny Ukrajincjami i Rusinami-Lemkami tereny uže byli u velikôj mïrï bezljudny. Toto bylo uže lem zakončinja roboty.

Po Akciji Visla byla provedena cïljova čistka všytkych vidimych slïdu Lemkôv na jich zemli. Cïly sela byli strebleny, a ostavšy chramy silov zabrano pravoslavnôj i hrekokatolickôj cirjkvam. Veljo z tych chramu doteperj funguvut hi rimokatolicky i služat potomkam novych polskych pereselincju. Vyšmareny na zapad Lemky ani ne byli poseleny razom, mïsto toho byli rozsïjany na šyrokôj obšyri. Z časom vekšostj Lemku zabyla rusinskyj jazyk. Ne bylo nijakych urjadovych programu vadj pomoči pro napravlinja toj krivdy.

Podsumovuvuči, samoho lem priznanja tych podïj ne može byti dosta. Toto by byli lem slova bez žadnoj zmïny jich resultata. Minimalnoje udškodovanja, kotroje mož prijati ud deržavy toto navernutja všytkych chramu, peredanych rimokatolickôj cerjkvi a nadanja zemli potomkam vyselenych Lemkôv z možnostiv navertanja na Lemkovinu. Do toho času ražučyj zločin stertja Rusinôv nadale sja zostane pjatnom na polskôm štati, kotryj ostatny 30. roku namahat sja značno zmôcniti svoju reputaciju demokratiji i oboroncja europskych hodnot.