Helena Kumor
Class 6
Public Elementary School in Dąbrowa near Kielce
17 October 1946
My memories of German crimes
The Germans arrived at our village, i.e. in Dąbrowa near Kielce, on the Wednesday of 6 September in the memorable year 1939; [it was then that] we saw the first German. When they came here, they were shouting “Hands up!” Soon they met Polish soldiers and killed them. The road was full of cars and people moving towards Warsaw.
On the Friday of 1 September, German planes came over Masłów and Kielce. Saturday saw the first casualties in Masłów: a child, a woman and a cow. [The Germans] were also parachuting saboteurs, i.e. spies. People were staying home. On the Monday morning of 4 September, troops and cars were moving along the road. On Monday, the nearby forest was surrounded by Polish troops (infantry). Kielce was taken by Wednesday. On Tuesday evening, our village was on fire. The fire started because Polish soldiers wanted to light up the village to see the enemy, as German tanks were moving past the houses. We were in Zagnańsk. We were staying in the forest. On our way back home, in Koszary, the Germans took daddy captive. Daddy returned after two months.