The Opole Voivodeship (province) encompassed a vast majority of Polish–Czechoslovakian borderland. This particular part of the state border was characterized by lack of significant natural barriers. This circumstance created favorable conditions for escape attempts from a country ruled by communists. Odra River, a communication “spine” of the region, also offered a chance of flight to the West. Refusal to return after a legal trip abroad was a specific form of illegal immigration.
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