Janina Książek
Class 5
Skarżysko Książęce
My most memorable moment from the occupation
During the German occupation, we were not allowed to have Polish books at school. We did not learn history and geography and did not sing patriotic songs. All those years have left a lasting mark on my soul.
The most painful moment for me was when on 16 July 1944, the gendarmes surrounded our village and organized a roundup. They took all the men and marched them with their hands in the air, kicking, pushing and beating them in the process. The women were passing out and the children were crying. Finally, the men were told to lie down. The Germans chose 11 of them, shackled them and threw them into cars. They took these poor souls in an unknown direction, and nobody has heard from them ever since.
That day got stuck in my memory. The image of people being shackled and taken to concentration camps is one I cannot get out of my mind.