Krakowskie środowisko ogólnopolskiego Okręgu Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej Obszaru Lwowskiego im. „ Orląt Lwowskich” – historia i działalność .......... 267

THE KRAKOW COMMUNITY OF THE NATIONWIDE DISTRICT OF HOME ARMY SOLDIERS OF THE LWÓW REGION NAMED AFTER THE “LWÓW EAGLETS” – HISTORY AND ACTIVITIES

The article analyzes the history and activity of the community of veterans-soldiers of the Home Army (AK) from the Lwów Region, who – after being forcibly expelled from their homeland – settled in Krakow. The processes of adaptation of Lwów Home Army soldiers to the realities of the Polish People’s Republic were discussed, including the actions of the communist authorities preventing the creation of independent veterans’ structures outside the Association of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy (ZBoWiD). The political breakthrough of 1989 enabled the establishment of the fi rst legal post-war AK organizations and the consolidation of circles within the World Union of Home Army Soldiers (ŚZŻAK). Despite their advanced age, the veterans from the Lwów area created their own sectoral unit here, bringing together a total of 13 circles from all over Poland and initiating extensive cooperation with national and foreign institutions. Due to the increasing mortality rate among veterans, a decision was made in 2010 to move the headquarters of the sectoral unit to Wrocław. However, there were still a few soldiers in Krakow who were helped by non-combatants, thanks to which the community of veterans from Lwów continues to exist and undertakes various initiatives to this day.