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16th December 2015
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Filmmaker: Jan Ledóchowski 
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.ledochowski.eu/film 

+44 (0) 20 8942 6866
+44 (0) 775 268 5834
7 The Fairway, 
Coombe House Estate, 
New Malden,

Surrey KT3 4SP
 United Kingdom



 
16th December 2015

The dramatic story of people deported by Russia during World War II …. and their subsequent dispersal throughout the world

Jan Ledóchowski, the London filmmaker of Polish origin, is working on a new film: “Deported”. The film will be based on interviews with people deported from Poland by the Soviet Union during 1939 – 1946, their families, friends and colleagues, and on interviews with historians.

The film will show the very different fates that befell the Deported: civilians and prisoners of war executed in the Katyn massacres; exile to Siberia and other distant parts of Asia; escape to the West and the epic battle of Monte Cassino with the new Polish army created under General Anders; fighting in the tragic battle of Lenino and continuing all the way via Warsaw to Berlin with the second Polish army created under General Berling; how civilians ended up in resettlement camps in India, Palestine/Israel, Africa and America; and their very different lives after the War - exile in the West, life in Israel or Mexico, return to Poland or even remaining behind in distant Asia. The editing style will be similar to that of Jan’s previous film, Uncles & Others, which was much praised by critics.

Jan hopes to conduct interviews with people where they now live. He also hopes to film some of the places to which they were deported. Based on discussions with the so-called “Siberians”, the nickname the Poles gave to the deportees and their descendants, and various “Siberian” clubs and associations, Jan expects there to be considerable interest in his film, both in Poland and among the Polish diaspora.

Anyone aged 10 when deported in 1940 is now 85 and anyone aged 20 in 1940 is now 95, so there are not many potential witnesses left. If you would like to suggest someone whom you think Jan should consider interviewing, please email him on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jan is very grateful for offers he has received from friends and “Siberians” to help with filming, travel and search. However many of them cannot cover their travel expenses, which could be significant.

Jan is also very grateful for contributions he has received from other friends to help cover those travel expenses. Any other friends or institutions interested in helping should contact Jan on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Amounts received will be put into a separate bank account opened in the name of Deported and will only be spent on travel expenses of people helping Jan (not his own expenses) and archive materials. Cheques can be made out to “Deported” and online payments made to the account below. If Jan makes money on the film, funds received into this account will be returned. Further details will be discussed with people offering to contribute.

Information on Jan’s other films can be found on www.ledochowski.eu/film

Barclays Bank PLC Account name: Deported Sort code: 20-46-76 Account number: 13024741