Some of you may have seen this on the CHAT group but for those who
didn't Gilly raises some interesting issues here!

Best 

Martin

-----Original Message-----
From: DE Ops South-LMS7c1c (Brown Martin Mr) 
Sent: 19 January 2009 16:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Release-authorised: RE: Defiance

There has, of course been an amount of work in Britain on our own
Partisan bases - the Auxiliary Unit bases. 

Also in this vein I have just read an article in "Britain at War"
magazine (21, January 2009) on camps run in woodland by the French
Resistance to shelter escapees from German POW camps. The article
includes a number of photographs of the camp, which was described by one
British airman as reminiscent of "the teddy bears' picnic and the Boy
Scouts."  According to the article 150 men lived in a wood for three
months.  Admittedly the infrastructure created may not have been as
enduring as in the Polish forests but some artefact scatters and the
inevitable latrine pits would be useful indicators of the presence, use
and layout of the camp.


Cheers

Martin

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion List for Contemporary and Historical Archaeology
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of G.C. Carr
Sent: 19 January 2009 16:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Defiance

Thanks David. I think that this would make a fascinating research
project for someone. If only one had the time (and the language
proficiency!) Just
imagine: 'Partisan Archaeology' - it could be the next big thing! Just
remember folks, you saw it here first!

All best,
Gilly Carr

On Jan 17 2009, PETTS D.A. wrote:

> I was bizarrely enough wondering exactly the same thing. I don't know 
> what state Belorussian archaeology is in- its probably the last 
> old-style authoritarian regimes left in Eastern Europe.
> 
> It is possible that similar sites may remain in Poland (maybe Paul 
> Barford would know). I know in Estonia, there was small-scale 
> partisan/resistance activity againt the Soviets into the 1950s carried

> out groups known as metsavendlus (Forest Brothers). I saw a 
> reconstruction of one of their bunkers in the local museum in Voru in 
> south Estonia a couple of years ago; thought I don't know how much 
> organised archaeological work has been done. A former forest brother 
> also maintained some bunkers in the same area for school visits. A 
> good book on this is Maart Laar's War in the woods : Estonia's 
> struggle for survival, 1944-1956.
>
> Certainly in the Baltic states, the main historic focus is on 
> remembering the trauma of Soviet occupation rather than the Nazi 
> occupation (witness the major disputes last year in Estonia following 
> the removal of the war memorial to Soviet fighters in the centre of 
> Tallinn ). A conference on the Archaeology of Terror in Tallinn in 
> 2005 focused primarily on Soviet rather than Nazi atrocities.
> 
> Incidentally, in Slovenia one of the hospitals established by the 
> Yugoslav partisans is now on the UNSECO tentative list for inscription

> as a World Heritage Site.
> 
>David
> 
>
>________________________________
>
> From: Discussion List for Contemporary and Historical Archaeology on 
> behalf of G.C. Carr Sent: Fri 16/01/2009 23:11 To:
> [log in to unmask] Subject: Defiance
>
>
>
>Dear CHAT group members,
>
>A quick query. I've just got back from seeing 'Defiance' at the cinema,

>and for all those who've seen it too, I have some questions. Look away 
>all those who have yet to see the film as the questions involve some
spoilers.
>
>The film ended by saying that the partisan group survived 2 more years 
>in the Byelorussian forest and even built a school, a nursery and a 
>hospital out there. Have any archaeologists been to examine this site 
>or its remains? Has anyone looked at the material culture / trench art 
>of their existence in the forest? It would be a really fascinating 
>study. Anyone know anything about it?
>
>Best wishes,
>Gilly Carr
>
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