ZOFIA ŻARNICKA

Warsaw, 18 October 1949. Irena Skonieczna (MA), 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 Zofia Żarnicka, née Szkop
Date and place of birth 19 April 1916, Kupise, Płock county
Parents’ names Władysław and Joanna, née Kossowska
Father’s profession laborer
Citizenship and nationality Polish
Religion Roman Catholic
Education secondary school
Occupation telegraph assistant
Place of residence Warsaw, Dobrowoja Street 6, flat 12
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was at home at Krakowskie Przedmieście Street 66. Until 11 August 1944 the insurgents would frequently pass through the premises of our house.

On the early morning of 11 August, the Germans – SS-men – entered the premises of our houses, accompanied by “Ukrainians”. In all probability they had come from the [Royal] Castle. At the time, the residents of our house were in the basements. They ordered all the men to walk out into the courtyard. When the Germans entered there were some 15 men in our house; the rest had stayed behind somewhere in Mariensztat. The Germans immediately forbade the residents of our house to pass through to Mariensztat. The IF factory was located there, while its offices were housed in building no. 66 on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street and that is why there was a connection between Mariensztat and our house.

The Germans used our men to carry weapons, initially two of men, while later on all the men were forced to carry the wounded from the Castle. The men worked until 2.00 p.m.. At around 3.00 p.m. the Germans once again summoned all of the men to the courtyard and thereafter checked to see whether no one had stayed behind in the basements. After some time we heard shots in the second courtyard, where the former bakery was located.

Throughout this time the Germans dragged out young women, whom they raped. Amongst others, they grabbed a small, 14-year old girl. One of them pulled me out, but I managed to run away to the basement. He therefore returned for me, this time armed with a revolver, led me to the second courtyard and – saying that if I would not go with him, I would meet the same fate as the men – he pushed me into the bakery and closed the door. The bodies of our men were lying on the floor. Amongst them were a few of my colleagues from the office. Thus, I recognised the bodies of Zbigniew Potrzebowski, Eugeniusz Roman, the caretaker Wiśniewski, Stefan Kowalczyk and Nowicki; I do not remember the surnames of the others.

After some time the German who was molesting me opened the door, dragged me out and put a revolver to my temple. But another German saved me from death. I therefore escaped to the basement. At that moment the Germans started leading out the remaining residents from our house, i.e. just women with children. The Germans left some young women in our house.

Under a German escort, we passed along Mariensztat and Bednarska streets, and the Saski Garden to Żelaznej Bramy Square. There we were surrounded by “Ukrainians,” who robbed us of everything that we had on ourselves and then proceed to abduct and rape the women. Some of them returned to our transport, while others were found only later, in camps.

We stayed the night in St. Adalbert’s Church at Wolska Street, whereafter we were transported to the transit camp in Pruszków.

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