JULIA JANKOWSKA

Warsaw, 19 January 1946. Judge Stanisław Rybiński, working for the District Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, interviewed the witness named below, having first advised said witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations, whereupon the witness testified as follows:

My name is Julia Jankowska, I am 39 years old, I am a Sister of Charity, of the Roman Catholic religion, residing at the Wolski Hospital, Płocka Street, corner of Górczewska Street 26, criminal record – none.

At 9.00 on 23 December 1943 I was at the Wolski Hospital, on the second floor, and saw that Black Marias carrying German gendarmes were driving up Górczewska Street, stopping on the grounds opposite the Hospital, some 60 metres away. The gendarmes got out of the vehicles and brought out some 20 people, whom they had to lead, because the condemned were extremely weak and walked unsteadily, and also because their eyes were covered with paper bags that had been placed over their heads. These people were dressed, but I didn’t notice how, for the day was foggy. The gendarmes arranged them in groups of five. Some had their hands tied, while others were tied up in twos. The people were set up against the wall, and the gendarmes fired rifle salvoes at them from a distance of a few metres.

A total of four salvoes were fired, and so I gathered that there were twenty victims, all of whom immediately fell to the ground. A gendarme then walked up to the prone figures and finished off anyone who still showed any signs of life.

Next, the gendarmes tore off the victims’ clothes and loaded the naked bodies onto the truck. Due to the fog and the distance I was unable to see whether there were any women amongst the victims.

I observed the next execution from the very same hospital window, on 13 January 1944 at around 1.00 in the afternoon. It took place on the very same spot. I saw that the victims were blindfolded. This time I noticed that there were two women among them. I don’t know how many people were shot at the time, but I am sure that there were more than before. The gendarmes set them up in more numerous rows. I heard only two salvoes. We counted some 40 victims. Before the shots were fired, one of them turned and stood with his back to the gendarmes. A gendarme approached, turned him around to face the firing squad and kicked him. Having made sure that the victims were dead, the gendarmes tore off their clothes and loaded the naked bodies onto the vehicles.

I don’t know who the people were that were shot dead during the two executions I observed. I learned only that on 25 December 1943 a judge and a 14-year old boy had been executed by firing squad.

I would like to clarify that following the second execution, the gendarmes did not take the clothes off of the victims, but placed them on the vehicles dressed.

The report was read out.