JÓZEF ŻELAZNY

Ławęczno, 4 May [19]48. At 3:00 PM, acting on an order from the Prosecutor of the Regional Court in Kielce, in accordance with the procedure provided for under Article 20 of the implementing provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the participation of reporter Kazimierz Michta from the Citizens’ Militia station in Niewachlów, I, officer Ignacy Szczepanik from the Citizens’ Militia station in Niewachlów, interviewed the person named below as a witness. I advised the person of the criminal liability for making false declarations in accordance with Article 140 of the Penal Code. [The witness] testified as follows:


Name and surname Józef Żelazny
Parents’ names Jan and Zofia, née [Rausy or Rausa]
Date and place of birth 15 August 1899, Ławęczno, Samsonów

commune, Kielce district

Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Occupation farmer
Place of residence Ławęczno, Samsonów commune, Kielce district

Regarding the present case, I am aware of the following facts: Both Kazimierz Nadolnik and Franciszek Proboszcz lived in Ławęczno, Samsonów commune. During the occupation, both of them worked as peat diggers near the village of Bugaja, Piekoszów commune, Kielce district. During the manhunt carried out by the Germans in June 1944, both of them fled from the Germans into the forest. On that day, they were captured by the German soldiers carrying out the manhunt, and they were shot dead by these soldiers in that forest. On that day, three men were shot near the village of Laskowa: Kazimierz Nadolnik and Franciszek Proboszcz, both of them residents of Ławęczno, Samsonów commune, Kielce district; and a third one, who was shot together with these two – I didn’t know him, I only know he was from Oblęgor, Mniów commune, Kielce district. They were captured in that forest and executed on the spot, as well as buried in that forest. They were not dug out until after the liberation in 1945, when their bodies were transferred to the parish cemetery Kostomłoty II, Niewachlów commune, Kielce district.

At this point, I concluded the report and read it out before signing.