ELEONORA KILJAŃCZYK

Warsaw, 9 May 1949. A member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, Norbert Szuman (MA), 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 Eleonora Kiljańczyk, née Dmoch
Date and place of birth 11 April 1904 in Tarczyn, Grójec county
Parents’ names Franciszek and Franciszka, née Kozłowska
Father’s occupation citizen of Tarczyn, homeowner
Citizenship and nationality Polish
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Education elementary school
Occupation shop owner
Place of residence Warsaw, Rejtana Street 3, flat 8
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was in my shop at Rejtana Street 4. The insurgents withdrew from our street already during the night from 1 to 2 August 1944, and it became occupied by the Germans. Until 5 August there was complete calm on our street. On that day at around 10.00 a.m. a dozen or so German soldiers entered our street; others told me that they had come from the barracks at the corner of Rakowiecka and Puławska streets.

They entered the houses in our street in quick succession and dragged all the men from the flats – leaving only the women – and led them in groups to the barracks. The men remained there until 13 August. The women were allowed to bring food to the barracks daily between 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m., for the Germans did not give the prisoners any food. Although I had no loved ones amongst those detained, I also carried lunches to the barracks, for since I ran a distribution store I had a considerable stock of food.

I did not witness any German crimes during the Uprising.

From 5 August our street was frequently visited by the “Ukrainians,” who would pillage and burn. However, they did not commit any crimes or murders. Right before my eyes, they threw bottles with liquid and incendiary grenades at the house at Rejtana Street 4, on the corner with Puławska Street 18, setting it on fire.

On 13 August the Germans returned to our street and told the women that they were to go to the barracks to collect their men and leave Warsaw together with them. As far as I know, from amongst the men taken from our street to the barracks, only the 14-year-old son of the caretaker of the house at no. 4, Maria Łoskot, failed to return. I do not know what happened to him.

Together with the residents of Puławska, Olszewska, Rakowiecka, and Narbutta streets, and their side streets, I left Warsaw through Rakowiecka Street and Pole Mokotowskie, proceeding to Okęcie. I remained there until 22 August, making four attempts to reach the insurgent lines in order to find my children – my 18-year-old daughter and 20-year-old son. After this I travelled to my family in Tarczyn.

The remainder of the population – unable to make an escape – was transported to the Pruszków transit camp.

At this point the report was concluded and read out.