To
the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes
in Poland
An account of the arrest and execution carried out in Anin, commune of Wawer, in 1942
Towards the end of 1941, a certain group of youths from both intelligentsia and working class backgrounds became active on the fringes of Anin. Neighboring residents, discouraged by the execution that had taken place in 1939, viewed their daring behavior – bold and very visible gatherings, the loud singing of national and other forbidden songs, and direct threats towards the Germans and their supporters – with some trepidation.
It is impossible to determine which organization this group belonged to, however two facts – namely that it engaged in the distribution of clandestine newspapers and maintained contacts with the nearby city of Warsaw – clearly indicate that it was political in nature. Whatever the case may be, its members called themselves the 13th “Zawisza” Group.
On 26 February 1942 after midnight, German gendarmes accompanied by plain clothes agents surrounded the conspirators’ locations: 1) the “Wioletta” villa at VIII Poprzeczna Street 13 and 2) the villa of the Falędzki family at ks. Skorupki Street, corner of VIII Poprzeczna Street.
At the “Wioletta” villa they burst into the flat of the Górskis, where they arrested the entire family, while when Jadwiga Górska demanded an explanation as to why her son was being arrested, the Germans beat her up. It is necessary to add that Rajmund Górski (59 years old), a former purchasing manager at the Wolski Hospital, was a cripple, and walked on an artificial limb.
In the same building, the gendarmes tried to force their way into the flat of the Kopaliński family. However, Leszek Kopaliński surprised them, opening fire with two pistols, whereafter – having killed one of the agents and wounded two others – he managed to break through the cordon and escape into the darkness.
The assailants, enraged by the death of their companion and the perpetrator’s escape, beat up Kopaliński’s mother – the widow of a colonel of the Polish Army – with great fury, whereupon one of the agents finished her off with his revolver.
The next day Leszek Kopaliński’s body was found near the building; he was clenching a pistol and had a bullet wound to his head. Some speculate that – wounded and surrounded – he shot himself.
The bodies of the Kopalińskis, mother and son, were thrown onto a truck and driven off in an unknown direction.
It should be added that no Polish policemen in uniform were seen taking part in the operation carried out on 26 February 1942; it was carried out by German gendarmes and Polish and German agents. All of the them were equipped with body armor and protective shields.
There is speculation that the operation was connected with the fatal shooting of an SS man at Odyńca Street in Warsaw.
In the course of their assault on the “Wioletta” villa, the Germans also arrested the Szleszyński family – Edward, Wiesław and Jadwiga.
The conspirators in the flat of the Falędzkis fared better. Alerted by the shooting, they surprised the cordon by throwing a few grenades at the policemen, and then – in a group of ten or so – escaped through the window.
Some of them ran off in the direction of Wiśniowa Góra, while a few proceeded towards the Vistula and, walking along the frozen river, managed to get to Warsaw.
In Warsaw, while waiting for documents (they intended to go in the direction of Lwów, to join the partisans), one group hid in Saska Kępa, and the other in Boernerowo. In a short space of time, those hiding in Saska Kępa (Kryfko, Defull and Szulczewski) were captured, followed by Majorowski, Truchlewski and the others.
On 29 April 1942 all of them were driven to the “Wioletta” villa in a gendarmerie truck, and from there led to the canal at the end of VIII Poprzeczna Street. And that is where they were shot, in three groups.
The State Police station in Międzylesie was subsequently notified and instructed to bury the corpses.
All twelve were interred at the War Victims’ Cemetery in Wawer. Their bodies showed marks of terrible cruelty and inhumane violence.
A list of those executed on 29 April 1942
| 1. | Tadeusz Szulczewski 15 years old |
| 2. | Rajmund Górski 58 years old |
| 3. | Tadeusz Górski 18 years old |
| 4. | Kazimierz Kryfko 19 years old |
| 5. | Tadeusz Majorowski 19 years old |
| 6. | Zdzisław Truchlewski 18 years old |
| 7. | Stanisław Tomerski 18 years old |
| 8. | Jerzy Grzebalski 21 years old |
| 9. | Józef Rybiński 18 years old |
10. Zygmunt Wielochowski 38 years old (a platoon commander in the State Police)
11. Edward Stępień 18 years old
12. Józef Soszyński 23 years old
Attached please find the accounts of certain persons, which may be of significance if an investigation is launched.
Commander of the People’s Militia in the commune of Wawer
Walerian Karpiński