The Sybirak Memory Portal is the first initiative in Ottawa dedicated to gathering, preserving, and documenting the history of Polish citizens deported to Siberia and other regions of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It brings together historical background, personal testimonies, and community projects to ensure that the voices of Sybiraks and their families are not lost to time.
Sybiraks are Polish citizens deported by Soviet authorities to Siberia, Kazakhstan, and other remote regions of the USSR between 1940 and 1941. After surviving forced labour, hunger, disease, and extreme conditions, many left the Soviet Union with General Władysław Anders' Army, passing through the Middle East, Africa, India, and Europe before rebuilding their lives abroad.
After the war, the establishment of communist rule in Poland made return impossible or unsafe for many survivors. The primary destinations for displaced Poles after the war were: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and France (to a lesser extent). Between 1945 and 1956, approximately 60,000–65,000 Poles settled in Canada, including thousands of Sybiraks who arrived as displaced persons, Anders Army families, and former POWs.
In Canada, Sybiraks played an active role in rebuilding their lives while contributing significantly to the development of Polish community institutions, cultural organizations, churches, and veterans' associations. Their experiences of exile and survival became an important part of the collective memory of the Polish diaspora and shaped postwar Polish-Canadian identity.
Ottawa is home to a small but active community of Sybiraks and their descendants, whose presence is preserved mainly through community initiatives rather than formal records. The Canadian Polish Club, the Embassy of Poland, and other organizations organize commemorations, assist with Siberian Exiles Cross applications, and promote intergenerational memory.
The Sybirak story is dispersed across private family archives, community organizations, and local memories, and no single institution has previously gathered these threads in one place. This portal aims to become a central point for history, testimonies, and educational resources about Sybiraks in Ottawa and across Canada.
Video testimonies and documentaries preserve firsthand accounts of Sybirak experiences, offering invaluable insights into this tragic chapter of history.
A growing body of books and memoirs by Sybiraks and their descendants preserves these stories in written form, ensuring that future generations remember their sacrifices and resilience.
Academic presentations, archival materials, and research projects document the broader history of Polish refugees during WWII and their settlement patterns.
For a comprehensive overview of the Sybirak history, community profiles, detailed event documentation, and archival resources, please download our full archive document below. This resource contains in-depth historical context, personal narratives, listings of Sybiraks residing in Ottawa, commemorative event details, book recommendations, and links to external research initiatives.
PDF contains: historical timelines, survivor profiles, event records, book list, and archival references.