Project goals and assumptions

The main objective of the project is to identify possible applications of modern geoinformatics as a research aid in the humanities using as an example a specific historical topic, i.e. the air drops of the ‘Silent and Unseen’ paratroops (in Polish: Cichociemni) carried out in the territory of the Generalgouvernement in the years 1941-1944.

In their research the authors endeavoured to provide a spatial analysis of airdrop zones during particular airborne operations as well as analyse the conditions that determined the choice of locations.

The research has been divided into the following stages:

1. Building a knowledge base on selected aspects of the operations of the Cichociemni paratroopers during the Second World War based on an analysis of the spatial properties of available data.
2. Creating a digital repository of materials and data on selected aspects of the operations of Cichociemni paratroopers during the Second World War.
3. Determining the applicability of spatial quantitative analyses in historical research using selected examples of airdrops of the Cichociemni paratroopers in the territory of ​​the Generalgouvernement in the years 1941-1944.
4. Proposing a methodology for conducting spatial historical analyses based on geographical information systems (GIS).
5. Documenting the operations of the Cichociemni paratroopers using information-based means of knowledge presentation, with a particular emphasis on spatial elements (maps, situational plans) for the needs of diverse groups of recipients.
6. Disseminating the use of GIS tools and historical knowledge of the operations of the Cichociemni paratroopers during World War II among a wider audience.