Główna Komisja Ścigania Zbrodni przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu

Główna Komisja Ścigania Zbrodni przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu (1945 - present), which translates as 'Main Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation', was established in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II (1939 - 1945), to investigate and prosecute war crimes committed against Poles. Its activities in the 1960s-70s were significantly shaped by the broader political context, including the Communist regime's emphasis on crimes committed by the Nazi regime while often overlooking or minimizing the Soviet Union's repressive actions and war crimes against Poles. This period was characterized by selective justice and the use of historical narrative to serve state propaganda, focusing on fostering a sense of victimhood and resistance against fascism, while underplaying or ignoring crimes that did not fit the state's ideological narrative. As Poland extracted itself from the Soviet Black, the organization's focus on expanded to include investigations into crimes committed by the Soviet Union. Today, the commission operates under the auspices of the Institute of National Remembrance (Instytut Pamięci Narodowej - IPN), established in 1998, which is tasked with researching, documenting, and disseminating knowledge on the sufferings and losses endured by the Polish nation during occupations, and on the crimes committed against Poles and citizens of other nationalities. The IPN plays a crucial role in Poland's efforts to deal with its past, including the prosecution of war criminals, education, and the cultivation of national memory, often navigating complex political and historical narratives.