of Soviet propaganda as "enemies of the people". Their property was often taken by the new authorities in violation of Soviet law and there were numerous cases of government-inspired violence against the them. That led approximately 10% of the settlers to abandon their homes and to escape through the so-called Border of Peace to German-held General Government. Since late 1939, osadniks were being deported en masse to Northern European Russia, Ural and Siberia, according to the Sovnarkom's Decree about special settlement and labor engagement of "osadniks" deported from Western areas of USSR and BSSR of December 29, 1939. It was broadened to include all formerly Polish citizens who purchased any land after 1918, whether real settlers from other parts of Poland or local peasants who bought land in neighbouring villages. An estimated 140,000 osadniks were deported on February 10, 1940, be they real or alleged osadniks. Most of them (about 115,000) were of Polish, but there were 10,000 Ukrainians, 11,000 Belarusians and 2,000 others. In gulag paperwork, osadniks were in a separate category of deportees: "special settlers — 'osadniks' and 'foresters'". Then, three more waves of Polish deportations were carried out and classified with different categories. The largest deported Polish population was in Arkhangelsk Oblast: all of the Soviet labor camps in the Kotlas area were filled with Polish nationals. High mortality of deported was reported. For example, by July 1, 1941, over 10,000 osadniks were officially reported dead. The original settlers formed a much smaller group than those who were labelled as osadniks by the Soviet authorities. See also Polish minority in the Soviet Union Polish population transfers (1944–1946) References Inline: General: External links Society of Civilian and Military Settler Families of the Kresy Soviet repressions against Poles and citizens of Poland, by Memorial society Second Polish Republic Polish diaspora Poland–Ukraine relations Belarus–Poland relations Western Belorussia (1918–1939) Veterans' settlement schemes