On October 12–13, 1943, soldiers of the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division, known as “Berling’s men”—many of whom were Siberian deportees—fought their first battle in the bloody clash at Lenino. In the following months, they continued their combat trail, which eventually led them to Berlin in April and May 1945.

Paweł Turenko was born in 1921 in Kisorycze (Sarny County, Volhynia Province) to Jerofiej and Anna. In October 1939, his father was arrested by the NKVD and, in the spring of 1940, murdered in Kyiv as part of the Katyń Massacre. Less than half a year later, on April 13, 1940, Paweł himself was deported deep into the Soviet Union. He was sent to northern Kazakhstan, where he remained until October 1943. There, he met Ksenia Migłowiec, who had been exiled at the same time together with her stepmother, sister, and brother. During their exile, Paweł and Ksenia were married.

A new chapter in Paweł Turenko’s life began in October 1943, when he joined the 1st Polish Army commanded by General Zygmunt Berling. He served in the artillery, initially as a private and later as a non-commissioned officer, gradually becoming battery deputy commander and then squadron commander. After several years of service, he was transferred to the reserves in April 1948.

In the following years, he continued to rise through the officer ranks — promoted to captain in 1950, major in 1973, and lieutenant colonel in 2001. He was an active member of the Association of Former Professional Soldiers, later the Association of Former Professional Soldiers and Reserve Officers, and from 1996 also of the Association of Veterans of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners.

He passed away in Białystok at the age of 97.

As part of the October edition of the Exhibit of the Month series, visitors to the Sybir Memorial Museum can see, among other items, Paweł Turenko’s field cap (rogatywka), his Cross of Siberian Deportees, and his Grunwald Badge.