Świrz is a town in Ukraine (in the vicinity of Lviv). Among those who originate from there are Irena Komorowska, the wife of General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, the author of “Soldiers from the Świrz Forest,” and many current residents of Gierałtów, who came to the meeting in large numbers.
Józef Wyspiański began researching the history of the place he comes from in 1989. Two hundred and forty meetings with residents of Świrz and 20,000 kilometres travelled by road—one of the fruits of the Lubin resident’s many years of research is “Soldiers from the Świrz Forest.”
“Soldiers...” was published in an edition of 550 copies. The publication received financial support from the Ziemia Bolesławiecka association. To make the work less expensive, the Lubin resident handled its editing himself. The book, as the author himself said, was well received by the people of Świrz. It consists of three parts. The first describes the history of the town near Lviv, the second tells of the Świrz underground movement, and the third concerns the fate of one of the partisan units there.
During the meeting, the author recounted many anecdotes connected with the history of the town in the Eastern Borderlands and beyond. “Write your history,” Józef Wyspiański appealed to those present. “There is a certain regularity. Descendants are wiser than their parents. One day they will ask where they come from. Do not throw away any document. Each one is a testimony,” the author added at the end of the meeting.
Józef Wyspiański is the author of, among other works, “Bows Made from Post-War Ribbons,” a book describing the history of his family. He is also the publisher of the quarterly “Świrz Residents’ Meetings,” which publishes the recollections of residents of the town near Lviv. So far, 75 issues of the periodical have been published. The 76th is currently being prepared.
(MZ/GA information)