Józef Sielwanowski
Class 7
Public Elementary School in Iłża
20 November 1946
My most memorable moment from the occupation
The most memorable day for me is 11 January, when the Germans took my daddy. In the morning, the Germans surrounded our small town of Iłża and carried out a big roundup. They came to my house and took my daddy out of bed. They told him to get dressed and go with them. Our family and other people started to cry and ask them to let my daddy go, but the German hearts were cold and the Gestapo did not heed our requests. When the Germans took daddy to the market square, they did not even let us say goodbye to him. At around 10 a.m. they took all the men and drove them to Suchedniów. Two days later, they loaded the people onto a train and took them to Wrocław. Daddy had to work hard digging trenches. A great battle was going on at the time. Daddy happily survived those terrible moments and returned home after the war was over. There was great joy in our family. Our whole family, daddy included, started to work for Poland.