BOLESŁAW BORKOWSKI

On 3 November 1947 in Radom, the District Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes with its seat in Radom, this in the person of a member of the Commission, lawyer Zygmunt Glogier, interviewed the person mentioned hereunder as a witness, without taking an oath. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Bolesław Borkowski
Age 57 years old
Parents’ names Karol and Lucyna
Place of residence Moniuszki Street 2b, Radom
Occupation tanner, director of the tannery in Białogard
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

From March 1940, one Fuchs lived in my house in Radom at Moniuszki Street 2b. His co-lodgers were Matschtke, König, Heil, Neubeum and others, whose surnames I don’t remember. By a strange coincidence, since I was finishing work on a house in the courtyard, I wasn’t evicted from my house. I know that Fuchs was the most important Gestapo functionary in Radom, and all the round-ups and pacifications took place on his orders and with his participation. On more than one occasion I saw him don a helmet and leave for action. He would be accompanied by König, and sometimes also by Matschtke. Fuchs’ darling was Gawłowski, a citizen of Radom and a secondary school student. His father worked at the Social Insurance. Gawłowski was an informer, and he was on very good terms with Fuchs. Indeed, he would often come with Fuchs to my room in order to grind some coffee. Gawłowski’s physical appearance – blond-haired, above-average height, blue eyes, of slight build. I don’t know where he can be found now. The interpreters came mainly from Łódź – one of them, a former teacher from this city who spoke excellent Polish, was a lodger at my house. He would always laugh and present himself as Wolf. His physical appearance: 35 years old, stockily built, with an oval face, average height, with a small mustache; he normally wore a green rubber coat. I know that it was Wolf who accompanied Fuchs during the pacification of Garbatka, for I was there on the night when the arrests were carried out. The next day I met Wolf – by chance – at the market, and he told me that they had taken part in the operation. I also know, because I myself gave bribes, that Fuchs, König and Matschtke, and also Fuchs’ wife, took bribes for releasing the wealthier prisoners – whereas in the majority of instances they failed to release the ransomed persons. Fuchs’ wife was particularly badly disposed towards Poles; she worked at the police station in Reja Street, and frequently set her husband on the city’s residents. In November 1942 I was arrested by the criminal police in connection with this case [illegible], which had gained infamy in Radom. After being detained for four months in Koch’s Sonderabteilung [special unit], I was sent to Gusen and Mauthausen, where I was liberated on 5 May 1945 by the Americans.

I have just remembered that Fuchs was on excellent terms with Hauptsturmf ührer Gäetz, who – as I think – held an important post in the police. During this period, there were some fifteen Gestapo men living in my house, five of whom were officers. Antoni Zając, who works as the caretaker to this day, was the janitor of the building throughout the occupation, and may be able to provide some details.

The report was read out.