PIOTR WESOŁOWSKI

Warsaw, 8 February 1950. Trainee Judge Irena Skonieczna, acting as a member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, interviewed the person named below, who testified as follows:


Name and surname Piotr Wesołowski
Date and place of birth 27 June 1893, Strojnów, Kieleckie Voivodeship
Parents’ names Antoni and Józefa, née Majkowska
Father’s occupation farmer
Citizenship and nationality Polish
Religion Roman Catholic
Education 6 classes of elementary school and evening courses
Occupation leatherworker
Place of residence Warsaw, Mazowiecka Street 4, flat 3
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was in the house at Czackiego Street 16, where I remained until 7 September 1944. Up until that day our area was occupied by the insurgents, who, however, were coming under strong German pressure from Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, Raczyńskis’ Garden, and the bank, which forced them to withdraw at around 4.00 a.m. to the corner of Świętokrzyska and Czackiego streets, to the technicians’ building on the odd-numbered side. The Germans – Wehrmacht soldiers – and “Ukrainians” then occupied our area. They ordered the residents to leave their houses. Right before our eyes, two “Ukrainians” raped a young 16-year-old girl. Next, they led everybody through the Church of the Holy Cross to Krakowskie Przedmieście Street. I was the last to leave. I could see that no one had remained in our street. They led us to Zwycięstwa Square, where we stood for half an hour. From there we went along Senatorska Street, near the Mirowskie Market, and then along Chłodna and Wolska streets to a church – St. Stanislaus’ in Wola, I think. There the Germans separated out the young men, who were to be used as labor. On the next day the elderly and the women were led to the Western Railway Station and transported to the transit camp in Pruszków.

I did not hear about any crimes committed on Czackiego Street. Maybe Piotrowski, the caretaker of house no. 19 or 21 at Czackiego Street, or Skalski, who is a stoker in the union of technicians at Czackiego Street, could provide more details.

At this point the report was brought to a close and read out.