On Friday evening, the Sybir Memorial Museum hosted a unique online meeting with Colonel Romuald Lipiński, who currently resides near Washington, D.C. The occasion marked the premiere of his memoirs entitled Biography Written by History, published by the Sybir Memorial Museum. The event gathered numerous guests and museum employees, including Marcin Zwolski, PhD, and Katarzyna Remża, who were responsible for editing and the academic development of the book. The meeting was moderated by journalist Emilia Świętochowska.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Wojciech Śleszyński, Director of the Sybir Memorial Museum:

“We are meeting today because, one year ago, Colonel Romuald Lipiński donated his memoirs to the Sybir Memorial Museum. He is a man who walked the path of Anders’ Army and fought at Monte Cassino. We warmly welcome him and thank him for his trust,” he said.

During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to hear Colonel Lipiński tell the story behind the creation of Biography Written by History:

“The history of my diary began in the 1960s. I wanted to leave behind something that future generations could hold in their hands and learn from — something that would convey what their grandparents experienced during World War II. I began writing my memories as a letter to my children — our children. By 1965, I had compiled them into a book, and each of our children received it as a Christmas Eve gift. Many years later, Marcin Zwolski, PhD reached out and asked whether I could contribute something from my life to the Sybir Memorial Museum. I donated my memoirs. He also asked if I could add something about my arrival in the United States. So, in 2023, at the age of 98, I wrote an additional chapter, America, America — the final chapter of my diary,” he recalled.

Colonel Lipiński is a fellow countryman — born in Myszyniec and raised in Brest on the Bug River. His mother came from Kramkówka Mała near Osowiec, and his father was from Łomża. “My childhood was relatively happy,” he recalled. That peace ended with the outbreak of World War II. His brother’s involvement in a youth resistance group sealed the family’s fate. On June 20, 1941, Romuald, together with his mother and father, was deported to Siberia. They were sent to a kolkhoz near Barnaul, on the banks of the Ob River. The river became a lifeline — Romuald’s fishing helped the family survive: “We ate fish in every possible form — fried, boiled, dried for winter.” Without that, surviving on the daily bread ration would have been nearly impossible. When an amnesty was announced, the family was allowed to leave. Romuald wanted to join the Polish Army but was too young. The Lipińskis were temporarily relocated to Soviet-occupied Kyrgyzstan. Thanks to his father’s profession and his mother’s work as a nurse, the family eventually came under the protection of Anders’ Army and managed to evacuate the Soviet Union — though Romuald’s bout with typhus delayed their journey. After undergoing military training, he was deployed to the Italian Front as a mortar platoon soldier. His interactions with soldiers from other countries made him realize just how little the world knew about the ordeal of Polish deportees and the forced relocations to Siberia. He has dedicated his entire life to raising international awareness about this tragic chapter of Polish history.

“The world must know about the crime committed by the Soviets during World War II,” he emphasized during the meeting.

The event was deeply moving and filled with heartfelt words and mutual expressions of gratitude.

“I am very pleased that, of all the places and institutions in the world that could have published your memoirs — and many would have gladly done so — you chose to place your trust in us and handed over this precious legacy,” concluded Marcin Zwolski, PhD.

We thank everyone who participated in this special evening and invite all to read “Biography Written by History”.

The book is available for purchase at the Sybir Memorial Museum and at the following link: