9 March, Warsaw 1945
Testimony
Given by Kazimiera Palińska, born on 3 March 1883, residing at Grochowska Street 120/9, regarding the arrest of Józef Paliński (born on 25 December 1915 in Leningrad).
My son, Józef Paliński, a corporal (regular soldier) in the Polish Army, served in the Border Security Corps in Żywiec. In September 1939 he was taken prisoner of war, but he escaped from captivity in December of that year and went to Warsaw. Initially he worked at the Ujazdów hospital, but later he started working for the railway system.
On 9 August 1943, at 5 p.m., a civilian German came to our house at Grochowska Street 320/21 and inquired about my son. I pointed to the door where my son was working. I heard a loud exchange which resulted in my son going out. After a few minutes he returned accompanied by three civilian Germans. They thoroughly searched the apartment, but didn’t find anything. My son was taken to Pawiak prison. As I received no news from him I went to the Chief of the Train Station who, seeing my despair, sent me to the Gestapo, where an investigative judge issued me with a pass to visit my son. A guard at the Ghetto gate let me in and I managed to get to the fence of Pawiak prison, but I wasn’t allowed inside the prison grounds. My son was just walking in the yard. I noticed that his face was blue from beating.
Around 8 February 1944, the name of my son was put on a list of the executed. However, his party companions raised about 100,000 zlotys and, relying on the assistance of a woman who lived at 6 Sierpnia Street, paid the money to the Germans. As a result of this “intervention”, my son avoided execution. He was first moved to Daniłowiczowska Street and then was sent to Mokotów prison. I saw him standing in the prison gate, wearing black trousers and his military jacket with non-military buttons. His hair was shaved. He stayed in cell no. 7 in ward no. 36. I sent him money and packages. On 1 August I got his last message. It was smuggled from prison. He wrote that he was all right and that he was working. He also sent me back 8,000 zlotys that I had given him.
After the Uprising I went to Mokotów. The prison was open and empty. I encountered the head of the prison paper mill who told me the following: Until 9 August 1944 the prison remained in German hands. In August packages could still be sent to the prisoners. On 2 August 1944 insurgents seized control of a part of the prison from the Wierzbno side. Because the Germans had taken the keys from the guards, the cell doors were battered down and the prisoners thus released. About 400 people were set free at that time. After a few hours, following a fierce attack from SS men, the insurgents were forced out of the prison grounds. Then the Germans started to torture the prisoners, throwing them against the wall and beating them until they bled. Then all the prisoners, about 400 people in number, were led out into the courtyard and shot near the trash can. Their graves are still there. Because my son’s cell wasn’t broken into and the insurgents didn’t reach the part of the prison he was in, I assume that he was murdered.
It needs to be added that after being moved from Pawiak prison to Mokotów, my son was required to sign a document stating that he hadn’t been imprisoned in Pawiak.
I have told the truth and I read my testimony before signing.