SEWERYN WOJTYŚ

On this day, 10 March 1949, Municipal Court in Busk-Zdrój, represented by Judge A. Lebieiew, with the participation of reporter Cz. Krysiński, 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 Seweryn Wojtyś
Age 50
Parents’ names Wojciech and Rozalia
Place of residence Busko-Zdrój
Occupation butcher – owner of a restaurant
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

In the summer of 1944, by order of the German governor of the district in Busk, I was taken by the Blue Police and placed in the penal camp in Bliżyn for harmful activities against the German occupier. I stayed there for approximately three months.

I do not know what the official name of the camp was; it was probably Arbeitslager. Poles, Jews, and other nationalities were placed in this camp. What they were imprisoned for and how long they were in the camp, I cannot say, because I do not know. There were no separate special camps for Poles and Jews.

The camp was ruled by a German, whose name I do not know, and the camp guards were mostly Ukrainians, Czechs, and Blue Police. The camp was not overpopulated and there was enough space. The food was sufficient, because the bread remained [in stock]. They treated the prisoners well because the commandant of this camp, a German, was a very good man. The prisoners worked in the camp and outside it. In the camp they worked in sewing and locksmith workshops etc., and outside the camp in quarries. The work was not too heavy. I saw how repressions were used on the orders of the camp authorities for reluctance to work and for being absent at the roll call. These were directed mainly towards Jews, namely, the Jew was ordered to beat the Jew.

The prisoners wore no identifying signs. In the camp there was the infirmary and hospital. During my stay, there was an epidemic of dysentery, but the death rate was very low. I know nothing and I did not hear about any executions in the camp or beyond. There was no crematorium. The camp guards treated the prisoners well. People took baths; there was enough good bed-linen, duvets, mattresses, and bed sheets; and the Jews in the camp even carried out some trade of which the guards were aware. That is all that I know in this matter.

I have testified. The report was read out.