The Sybir Memorial Museum is currently creating one of the most interesting publications dedicated to the topic of Siberia – with a wide range of books combining reliable research with an accessible format. For years, the institution has published valuable scholarly studies, editions of sources, and memoirs of Sybiraks, thanks to which the experience of exile can be explored not only in the permanent exhibition but also in books available to a wide audience.

A discussion about the books Polish Orphanage in Bolshaya Yerba and 18th–20th century homecomings from Sybir will provide an opportunity to present selected titles from this publishing house. We will explore the background of both publications, discuss the sources used, and discuss the fates of their protagonists.

Katarzyna Śliwowska’s book Polish Orphanage in Bolshaya Yerba tells the story of a Polish orphanage in Siberia, where children of exiles deported deep into the Soviet Union were placed. The author describes the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the facility after the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement, its operation under the supervision of the Polish authorities and later the Union of Polish Patriots, and the dramatic choices made by adults who often accepted Soviet citizenship to remain with the children. The postwar fate of the children and their return to Poland also plays a significant role in the book. The publication draws on, among other things, the memories of staff and children, giving the orphanage’s history a deeply personal dimension.

Przemysław Borowik’s 18th–20th century homecomings from Sybir presents a broad panorama of Polish experiences of exile and return spanning over two hundred years. The author recounts the fates of the Bar Confederates, participants in the Kościuszko Uprising, exiles following the 19th-century uprisings, World War I refugees, and those deported in 1940–1941, including soldiers of the armies of Generals Władysław Anders and Zygmunt Berling, as well as post-war repatriates. The publication reveals the varied paths from Siberia home – from months-long marches in “stages” to returns made possible by amnesties and interstate agreements. It is a story of hope, determination, and the struggle against bureaucratic obstacles in proving the right to return.

We invite everyone who wants to learn about the history of Siberia through the stories of real people – children and adults – who faced the experience of exile and return to a free event in the series Little Stories of Siberia.

Both books – The Polish Orphanage in Bolshaya Yerba and 18th–20th century homecomings from Sybir – will be available in the museum shop at promotional prices until the end of the year, along with several other titles from the museum’s publishing portfolio.

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 1:00 p.m.
Venue: The Sybir Memorial Museum
Free Admittance