HELENA SAPIŃSKA

On 11 December 1945, in Radom, Kazimierz Borys, Investigating Judge from the Second District of the District Court in Radom, based in Radom, interviewed the person named below as an unsworn witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the provisions of Article 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Helena Sapińska
Age 44 years old
Names of parents Adam and Helena
Place of residence Radom, Planty Street 6, flat 4
Occupation widow of an Arms Factory’s employee
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

My husband, Jan Sapiński, born on 24 October 1901 in Słomniki, a locksmith by profession, was arrested at his workplace at the factory on 25 September 1942.

On 14 October 1942, he was executed by the Germans on the gallows set up near the Arms Factory in Radom.

I wasn’t present at the execution. I arrived at the execution site a dozen or so minutes after the convicts had been killed. Among those hanging from the gallows I recognized my husband. I couldn’t contain myself and I shouted to the Germans: "why have you hanged these innocent people?" Then I fainted and fell to the ground. I felt a pain in my side. My friends told me that once I uttered the words just mentioned, I was kicked by a Gestapo man.

I don’t know why my husband was arrested. I don’t remember the notice posted on the board set up next to the gallows. I was told that it mentioned something about bandits.

The bodies were left hanging until 4.00 p.m. Then they were taken to Firlej.

Having been shown a photograph of the people executed near the Arms Factory in Radom, the witness testified as follows:

I recognize my husband. He is hanging sixth from the right.

In November 1942, I received a formal notification from the local administration office, from the head of the police, that my husband had died on 14 October 1942.

The witness is presenting the notification dated 10 November 1942 and issued by Radom’s Staudthauptmann. The copy of it has been made and attached to the case file.

The report was read out.