Class VIb
Łopuszno, 17 October 1946
The moment best remembered from the years of the occupation
In September 1939, German armies entered Łopuszno. Blood poured from Polish hearts. The Germans had swastikas on their caps and sleeves.
The first thing they did was to destroy everything that was Polish. They ripped off the Polish eagles and destroyed or defiled them, or simply shot them through. They also tore down Polish banners and flags. Our national anthem fell silent, all we could hear was German. This was a sad and very emotional time for us Poles.
The gendarmes took up residence in Łopuszno in a large building which was the property of squire Dobiecki. Upon it they stuck a German flag with a swastika. Not a day went by without the gendarmes bringing in transports of Poles. They packed them into the underground dungeon, which was half flooded with water. From there, after being cruelly tortured, they were [missing fragment]. More and more graves of Polish soldiers sprang up in the Polish lands. These mounds showed us just how many people had died in defense of the homeland. The Germans requisitioned cattle, wheat and potatoes from farmers, hoping to bring the population to its knees through starvation. They harassed the people, burning down villages and cities.
They burned down the settlement of Skałka, for they learned that the residents were supplying the partisans with food. Some Gestapo men were sent there. They shot dead and murdered many of the people living there. Only those survived who hid in the nearby ponds. They witnessed the Germans’ cruelty at first hand. The same fate befell Gruszka and other Polish villages.
This was a very difficult time for the Polish nation. Schoolchildren were suffering terribly. We studied in difficult conditions. Our large [missing fragment] German children there. They ordered that the books from the library be delivered to the Inspectorate in Kielce. The better books were handed out to the children, while the rest were packed up and sent to Kielce. We studied in tiny rooms. Together with our class teacher, we breathed in the moldy dust. But we studied diligently. Somehow we pulled through those difficult times.
Now there is freedom throughout Poland. We are now allowed to sing Polish songs and recite patriotic poetry. A new Poland is being built, full of life. May God help her.