In accordancc with the agreemem bctweeo Erlich and Alter and tbc Soviet authorities, the lauer were making all the preparations for the work or tbc Commiucc rigbt up to the momcn1 Erlich and Alter wcrc ,trrested. For tbis purposc they brough1 10 Kuibishev a number or l>Crsons proposcd by Erlìch and Alter to takc up special functions as mcmbcrs of thc Committec. Lucjan Blit, who is now in London, was, for instance, 10 be droppcd by parachutc in Poland as the rcprcscntative of the Committee to join the anti-German s1rugglc therc. Unti[ the moment of their re-arresi the atmosphere surrounding Erlich and Alter was charged with confidencc in thcir sincerify of attitude and intcntions and no one could bave suspccted thai their cfforts cou\d bave ended so tragically. Wbcn they werc re-arres1ed il carne as a complete surprisc. Il musi also be stressed that until January 26th, 1942, 1he Soviet Government expressed no doubts whatever as 10 the Polish citizenship or Erlich and Alter. lt was only on thai date 1ha1 the Narkomindiel surprised the Polish Embassy by sending the Polish passport or Erlich with a covering note 10say thai be was a Soviet citizen. On March 16th, 1942,the Narkomindiel again scnt a note to the Polish Embassy in which they claimed that Erlich and also Alter wcre Soviet citizens. Ali protcsts of the Polisb Embassy werc in vaio. Whcn the news of thc execution of Erlich and Alter reached London, thc Polish Government in London handed to the Soviet Ambassador on March 8th, 1943, a note ofprotest against the execution. 20 Biblioteca Gino Bianco
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