STEFANIA SZALLA

On 1 October 1947 in Toruń, the Municipal Court in Toruń, Third Branch, with Judge Jan Erdmann presiding and with the participation of a reporter, Aleksander Siatkowski, interviewed the person specified below as a witness. Having advised the witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the significance of the oath, the Judge administered the oath pursuant to the provisions of Article 111 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The witness then testified as follows:


Name and surname Stefania Szalla
Age 32
Parents’ names Marian and Julia
Place of residence Toruń
Occupation shop owner
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

On 16 April 1940 the Germans imprisoned me in the camp in Ravensbrück. Maria Mandl was already there as an ordinary overseer. She supervised the camp prison. At the time she was Aufseherin [overseer]. I learnt from the detainees that Mandl abused them, especially by beating and kicking.

In 1942 Mandl became head overseer, the so-called Oberaufseherin and held the rank of Hauptmann. She held this post for half a year and during that time she made every prisoner’s life a misery. General assemblies were the worst. In the early spring and autumn, when the ground was covered with the hoar frost, she forbade us to wear shoes. She allowed prisoners to wear shoes only during work. Otherwise we had to walk barefoot. During roll call, Mandl beat the prisoners who stood in lines for most trivial things like moving, having their natural hairstyle etc. She beat them in a sadistic way by kicking and pulling hair, but only if the prisoner committed more serious offence. Apart from that, she usually hit prisoners in the face or head with her hand.

I don’t remember the names of the victims and I don’t know where they currently live. Mandl never harmed me very badly, meaning that I suffered because of her as much as any other prisoner.

After several months Mandl was transferred to Auschwitz.

The report was read out, signed, and concluded.