Maria Ladyca
Class 4
Styków commune, Iłża district
My most memorable moment from the occupation
It happened in August 1944. We woke up in the morning; everything in the house and on the farm was in order, but we could hear the thunder of German cars on the road. At the time retreating Germans would sometimes make a detour and come to the local villages to rob them of everything they could take; they would even beat the residents.
One day before noon, I saw such thieves and we went into hiding. Dad and I hid in the bushes near the house, my older brother took our horse to the forest, and my mum and younger brother remained in the house. When [the Germans] entered the village, they started stealing and beating the residents. When they came to my house, they asked mum about the horse, and when they were told that there was no horse, they demanded that the cow be brought to them and started beating my mum and brother. I was nearby, so when I heard my mum’s screams and crying, I quickly ran back home, but the Germans were already gone. They took the cow and beat up my mum and brother. In the evening, when the neighbors came, everyone was complaining about the German bandits who acted as if they were the masters of our land.