JÓZEF BANISCH

On 23 August 1947 in Bytom, Municipal Court in Bytom, Fourth Branch, with municipal judge (illegible) presiding and with the participation of court reporter E. Chudnik, interviewed the person named below as an unsworn witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Józef Banisch
Age 49 years old
Parents’ names Alojzy and Józefa, née Gwózdek
Place of residence Mikulczyce, Barbary Street 3
Occupation metalworker
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

On the order of the Arbeitsamt office in Mikulczyce, I was sent as a civilian laborer to the camp in Auschwitz to work as a driver. My work there lasted from 3 May 1943 to [illegible] that is, to 3 January 1944. I was lodged in one of the barracks for civilian laborers. The barracks were situated 20 minutes away from the camp that housed political prisoners. Every day I drove into the campgrounds bringing building materials, stones, etc. Quite often I was [illegible] seven times. While driving, I was accompanied by one SS man known as bost, but it wasn’t always one and the same man.

Grabner, Muhsfeldt and Ludwig, the photographs of whom I have been shown today, are foreign to me. I never saw these SS men in the camp.

When I brought building materials into the camp, cars, which prisoners were ordered to unload, were loaded high [with these materials]. Once I saw an SS man (I don’t know his name) beating a prisoner with a stick for failing to climb on top of the car fast enough.

I know Goliński [illegible] because he worked in the camp as a bricklayer. I met him only in my barrack where he came to change into his working clothes. I don’t know the names of those who have been shown to me today. I have never seen them nor have I ever heard about them.

The report was read out before signing.