Sybiraks Around the World – So Far Away, Yet So Close
The Sybir Memorial Museum is, for Sybiraks (Polish citizens deported by the Soviet regime) and their descendants – scattered across the globe as a result of the Second World War – a place where they can connect with the history that is closest to their hearts. It is also a space for dialogue between cultures that are often far removed from one another, as well as a place of remembrance. The Museum is a unique international platform where discussions take place on the nature of totalitarian regimes that emerged in different and distant parts of the world. Sybiraks and their descendants are both witnesses to the history of totalitarian repression and active participants in this debate.
There is probably no country in the world where Sybiraks do not live. The largest communities outside Poland are found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Kazakhstan. Shortly after the Museum opened, we established close, professional and cordial relationships with key Sybirak organisations and communities in many of these countries. The Museum has become a place frequently visited by guests from all over the world. Our staff also take part in important events organised by Polish communities abroad, contributing through exhibitions, lectures and educational programmes.
For these communities, the Museum is a place where the stories of Sybiraks – separated for decades by the “Iron Curtain” – come together. Here, Sybiraks can share not only their difficult memories, but also objects and personal mementoes that become part of the Museum’s collections. Thanks to these items, the stories of deportees reach audiences around the world, including those who have no personal connection with the experience of exile and deportation.
Our contacts with Sybiraks from different parts of the world give the Museum a natural international dimension. The universal message contained in their stories continues to influence the present and shape the future.
