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means from the economic point of view, if one
considers that timber and coal were Poland’s most
important exports before the war, One can also
understand the very bitter feelings of the leading
groups in Poland toward the Germans. However,
at the same time, I can say that according to
reports, animosity toward the Russians is just as
great. ”It is the Germans who did this,” my
Polish guide told me when he drove through one
completely razed village after the other, villages to
which the inhabitants were gradually returning. It
was not difficult to see that this destruction had
not only been achieved by artillery fire. Here, as
well as in Warsaw, systematic and planned
demolition was carried out.
The great difficulties Poland still had to struggle
with were aggravated by the flooding of the
Vistula which had occurred just before our arrival and
which had caused great damage. There was great
destitution, especially among young people. At that
time there were in Poland no less than 3.000.000
orphans, one eighth of the total population. Of
these, 1.800.000 were in children’s homes in which
the most primitive conditions prevailed. As in other
war devastated countries, morale had sunk among
the young people; intemperance among children
from eight to ten was said to be common. How
blessed an institution like the Swedish hospital in
Otwock seemed against this background, where at
that time 275 Polish children were cared for. This
hospital, which I visited, is totally supported by
Swedish government funds. With its excellent or-
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