DUALITY OF NAMES

At this point, I should mention that many members of the Polish forces served under different names.  This was accepted by the Polish Authorities as most of the men had escaped from Poland and/or internment camps.  Many more had been released by the Russians when Germany turned on them.  The Germans considered Poland to be part of the Reich and therefore these Poles were traitors.  In their absence their families were given severe punishments; so the name changes were to protect the families at home.  Jewish servicemen tended to take non-Jewish names as punishments for their families would mean only one thing.  Jewish servicemen would also not be given the protection of the Geneva Convention if they were taken prisoner.