STEFAN PACIA

Warsaw, 5 December 1949. Irena Skonieczna (MA), 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:


Name and surname Stefan Pacia
Date and place of birth 1 September 1904, Czeladź
Parents’ names Melchior and Marianna, née Jeziorowska
Father’s profession miner
Citizenship and nationality Polish
Religion Roman Catholic
Education two classes of secondary school
Profession shoemaker
Place of residence Warsaw, Przemysłowa Street 34, flat 22
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was at home at Wilanowska Street 19. Until 18 or 17 September 1944, I do not remember the exact date, I would frequently stay in the basement of the bank house at Okrąg Street 2. On that day in the afternoon, the Germans (SS men), accompanied by “Ukrainians,” entered the courtyard of our house. They occupied the area having first subjected it to an aerial and tank bombardment.

When the Germans entered, there were no insurgents in our house. The Germans ordered everyone to vacate the basement. In one of the first-floor flats they stood us against a wall and separated the women from the men. Next, after maybe one hour, they ordered us – the men – to dig pits and bury the killed and the deceased who were lying in our basement. The wounded were also lying there. In the basement and in the square the Germans killed two young men: the son of Konstanty Wyszomirski (currently resident somewhere in Targówek) and my journeyman, Władysław Piwek (his father currently lives at Wilanowska Street 21). Wounded Germans were also lying by the gate. I carried a wounded boy out of the basement with the intention of standing him up against the wall of the house. One of the Germans kicked me. I fell onto a stretcher with a wounded German.

The SS man ordered me to take him to the parliamentary building. I carried the wounded man together with Wyszomirski, escorted by one German armed with rozpylacz [submachine gun].

Thereafter I did not return to the house at Okrąg Street 2 and for this reason I do not know how events unfolded there. My daughter, Stefania Kalicka (currently residing with me at Przemysłowa Street 34, flat 22), remained there for some time longer.

Before we exited the basement, the Germans may have executed someone in the courtyard, but I find it difficult to remember whether I heard any shots. After we came out, I saw lots of blood in the courtyard.

At this point the report was brought to a close and read out.