OFFICER'S NOTES FROM CAPTIVITY VOLUME 3 - PIOTR PALIJ NIKOLAEVICH

The memoirs of Major Piotr Nikolaevich Palij are a moving account of life in prisoner-of-war camps and the struggle for survival in inhuman conditions. The author, like the heroes of Solzhenitsyn or Herling-Grudziński, draws the reader into the labyrinth of camp reality, showing the drama of choices and the strength of the human spirit.

• Suggestive language that allows you to almost touch the camp reality.
• Shocking account from prisoner-of-war camps in Podniesno and Zamość.
• Murderous march to the monastery on Łysa Góra.
• Work in Peenemunde, in the famous research center for V-1 and V-2 rockets.
• Dilemma of a Soviet officer: return to Russia and the camp or fight alongside Vlasov.
• Settlement with the criminal Stalin system.
• Probable identity of the author as Drozdov, an engineer imprisoned by the NKVD.

The book takes us back to the times of World War II, showing the fate of a Soviet officer who, after being captured by the Germans, faces a dramatic choice. Major Palij, probably hiding under this name Drozdov, shares his memories of prisoner-of-war camps, where the struggle for survival took place every day. His account is not only a description of the cruelty of war, but also a deep analysis of the Stalinist system, which did not spare even those who fought in its defense.

The author describes his experiences with the construction of the Molotov Line, the panicked flight to the east and the defense of the Dnieper Line, where he was captured. The stay in prisoner-of-war camps in Podniesno and Zamość, the murderous march to the monastery on Łysa Góra, and finally the work in Peenemunde, where as an engineer he was assigned to work on German V-1 and V-2 rockets, are further stages of his war odyssey. In Peenemunde, Palij decides to join the Russian Liberation Army fighting alongside Hitler, which further complicates his fate.

After the war, Palij avoids repatriation and ends up in the USA, where he works for the Lockheed Corporation. He was probably transferred to the USA as part of the American Operation Paperclip, possibly due to his work at Werner von Braun's plants. However, his fate after the war remains shrouded in mystery, which adds even more drama to his story. Palij's book is not only a testimony to history, but also a universal story about the struggle for survival, dignity and freedom in inhuman times.

The Historia PL publishing house gives readers an extremely valuable account that allows them to understand the complexity of history and human fate during the war. The hardcover and careful edition make the book a real decoration for every library.