MARIA WINIARSKA

Warsaw, 31 May 1950. Judge Janusz Gumkowski, acting as a member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, interviewed the person named below, who testified as follows:


Forename and surname Maria Winiarska, née Ziółkowska
Date and place of birth 15 August 1890 in Warsaw
Names of parents Michał and Justyna, née Pacholczak
Father’s occupation gravedigger
State affiliation Polish
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Education four grades at elementary school
Occupation housewife
Place of residence Wszeborska Street 12, flat 6
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was in my flat in the house at Wszeborska Street 12. My husband Antoni (49 years old), son Jerzy (23 years old) and daughter Danuta (18 years old) were also present. People were running across the neighboring street, shouting that an air raid was in progress. Therefore, all of us went down to the basement. Those sheltering there included not only the residents of our house, but also people who had come in from the street. There were some 40 of us in total. We heard some shots and booming. After half an hour or so, everything fell silent. German soldiers entered the courtyard of our building through the wicket. The wicket and entrance door leading from the courtyard to the stairwell were open; I heard that the residents of neighboring houses had closed their gates. One of the German soldiers started descending the stairs leading to the basement and shouted that all of us must leave. We were led to the corner of Wszeborska and księcia Ziemowita streets, to the wall of the corner building (no. 42). After some time, the women and children were separated from the men. The women were ordered to cross the courtyard of property no. 42 at Ziemowita Street and return to the basements of our house (the courtyards were connected by a hole in the fence). Eight men, including my husband and son, were left standing at the wall no. 42. After a while, my husband also returned to the basement. I think that he was separated from the rest due to his age. The others were young men. A while later, we heard rifle salvoes. Seven men had been executed near the wall of Ziemowita Street 42. The dead included my son, Jerzy Winiarski, Sylwester Kacki, Stanisław Mućko. I did not know the surnames of the others. As we later learned, the Germans took revenge on our men because a group of insurgents had thrown grenades at the corner of Ziemowita and Wszeborska streets. In all probability, the throwing of grenades was intended to be a signal of sorts, for at the time there had been no German soldiers in the street.

On that day, that is 1 August 1944, more men perished in our area. I heard, but am unable to confirm with all certainty, that the Germans carried out an execution in Hutnicza Street, shooting 11 men dead. I also know that the son and son-in-law of one Kubuj, resident at Ziemowita Street opposite Rzeczna Street, also perished.

The bodies of those executed at Ziemowita Street 42 were buried a few days later near the church, because the Germans did not allow the people to leave their homes.

In February 1945, this grave was exhumed.

At this point the report was concluded and read out.