CZUBALA DANUTA

17 April 1950, Warsaw. Judge [no surname of the interviewer], acting as a member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, interviewed the person named below as a witness, who testified as follows:


Name and surname Danuta Czubala, née Zabenda
Data and place of birth 2 January 1923, Warsaw
Parents’ names Karol and Władysława, n é e Krzyżewska
State affiliation Polish
Education Secondary
Occupation Cashier at WSH
Place of residence Warsaw, Szustra Street 82, flat 16
Criminal record None

At the moment when the Warsaw Uprising began, I was in my flat in Koło at Obozowa Street 77. The Uprising in Koło, from what I could observe, started a few minutes before 5.00 p.m. with an attack launched by a small insurgent unit on the school in Ożarowskiego Street, which was occupied by the Germans. The insurgents used the Folk House at Zawisza Street (just opposite the house at Zawisza Street 49) as the base from which to launch their attack.

I need to point out that I didn’t observe the events to which I refer. I rely for my description on the account of my late father, Karol, who was watching what was going on from our house, from a distance of about 100 meter.

After the insurgent action failed, the Germans mounted a counterattack. The Folk House, surrounded by the Germans, was fired at and pelted with grenades. After some time, as my father told me, German soldiers burst inside. A few insurgents were pulled out of the building and executed. Even after they had shot them, the Germans kicked their bodies. The Folk House was set on fire. I don’t know how many people were killed and I didn’t see their graves. It was said, as far as I can remember, that five people had been killed in the execution.

On 7 August 1944 German soldiers, some of whom spoke “Ukrainian”, ordered the people to leave part of the housing area (the TOR housing estate) between Obozowa and Bolecha streets.

On 15 August, the order was announced through loudspeakers to leave the whole district. The Germans threatened to punish those who refused to carry out the order. People were told to go to St. Adalbert’s Church at Wolska Street. However, people were usually able to evade this destination and get out of Warsaw and to freedom.

I don’t know anything specific about other crimes committed by the Germans during the Uprising in the Koło area.

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