HELENA PODOLSKA

Kielce, 19 January 1949, 9.00 a.m. Stanisław Gałka from the Criminal Investigation Section of the Citizens’ Militia Station in Kielce, on the instruction of the Deputy Prosecutor from the Regional District Court Prosecutor’s Office in Radom, dated 16 December 1948, with the participation of court reporter Józef Łukasik from the Criminal Investigation Section, interviewed the person named below as a witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the wording of Article 140 of the Penal Code, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Helena Podolska
Parents’ names Bronisław and Maria
Age 63 years old
Place of birth Warsaw
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Occupation dentist
Place of residence Kielce, Prosta Street 27
Relationship to the parties none

In the autumn of 1939, when the German troops occupied Polish territory, the Germans brought the first Polish prisoners of war to the camp which was established as the Germans captured Kielce, in the barracks of the 4th Legion Infantry Regiment on Prosta Street. I don’t know how many Polish prisoners were brought to the camp by the Germans. The camp was closed towards the end of 1939. Only Polish prisoners were kept in that camp. Approximately 10,000 prisoners passed through the camp during the period of its operation.

I don’t know whether the Polish prisoners performed any kind of work. The Germans fed the prisoners very poorly, and they received food mainly from the local Kielce community, as the Germans didn’t prevent the people from bringing in food.

The Germans didn’t carry out any executions in this camp; it was just a transit camp. Whenever a larger group of prisoners was gathered in it, the Germans would deport them somewhere else.

There was no infirmary in the camp; I know this as they wanted to set up one in my building.

I don’t know the surnames of the Germans who were on duty in that camp, and I don’t know the surnames of the Poles who were imprisoned in that camp either.

At this point the report was concluded, read out and signed.