WŁADYSŁAW BŁASZCZYK

Warsaw, 9 January 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 Władysław Błaszczyk
Date and place of birth 27 June 1905, Warsaw
Parents’ names Józef and Małgorzata, née Bałagow
Father’s profession fitter
Citizenship and nationality Polish
Religion Roman Catholic
Education 5 classes of elementary school
Profession craftsman
Place of residence Warsaw, Ludna Street 3, flat 23
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was in the double-exit house at Solec Street 35, Idźkowskiego Street 4. Until 18 September 1944 all of the residents of this building remained in the basements. The basements also housed an insurgent hospital that was subordinated to the hospital located in the school at Zagórna Street 9.

On 18 September, despite help from Berling’s soldiers, all of the houses in Idźkowskiego Street – apart from ours – fell into the hands of the Germans. During the night from 18 to 19 September the insurgents, pelted by the Germans with grenades, left our house. Our entire house was showered with them. The staircase suffered considerable damage.

On the morning of 19 September the Germans entered our staircase and ordered everyone to exit the basements. We went out into Idźkowskiego Street between a double file of “Ukrainians” who were standing on the stairs. “Ukrainians” were also standing in the street, and they directed us towards the school at Zagórna Street. Immediately after we came out into the street, these soldiers robbed us of various valuables. The Germans shot at the exiting residents from the windows of houses. There were approximately 500 people in our basement, but obviously I am not sure about the exact number; I could have been the hundredth to leave. By that time, some 30 – 50 dead and wounded people could have been lying in the street. The Germans shot at everyone. I led my sick child, and also carried some packages on my arm. One of them was shot through, as was my overcoat, although I myself managed to escape injury. I exited together with Zygmunt Szulkowski (currently resident at Ludna Street 5), who was wounded in the leg. When I reached the school, the Germans immediately separated me from my wife and child, tore my clothes off and started beating me up. I assume that I was beaten because during the Uprising I pushed one Skomorowski – who as I heard was a Volksdeutsch – and caused him to fall over.

Around noon or so the Germans led out the people gathered in the school, these numbering – if I remember correctly – some 320. We were taken to aleja Szucha along Fabryczna and Rozbrat streets, and through Sobieskiego Park to Agrykola Street. Along the way some of the men were detached from our group to perform various types of work. From aleja Szucha we were led along Puławska and Rakowiecka streets, over fields to the student hostel in Narutowicza Square, and from there to the Western Railway Station. The next day we were transported to Pruszków.

I do not know what happened to the hospital at Zagórna Street.

Aleksander Denisow, a cart driver, aged around 50 (currently resident somewhere on Wilanowska Street), remained in Czerniaków throughout the Uprising; maybe he would be able to provide more precise data regarding the number of those killed in Idźkowskiego Street and the fate of the hospital.

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