1. Personal data:
Company Sergeant Jan Górnicki, born in 1903, professional non-commissioned officer, married, 3rd Company of the Infantry Reserve Center.
2. Date and circumstances of arrest:
On 19 September 1939, when Soviet forces entered the Tarnopol voivodeship, I readied myself to flee to Hungary. On that day I walked into one of the streets in the township of Skałat in order to take care of some formalities. I was recognized by one of our former agents (he was a double agent in fact), Joachim Sławski from Łaszczówka in the district of Skałat, and detained in the prison in Tarnopol.
3. Name of the camp, prison, place of forced labor:
I was locked up in Tarnopol prison from 20 September 1939 until 24 February 1940, in cells nos. 5, 6 and 13, and interrogated. My co-prisoners were Captain Kisielewski from the 12th Field Artillery Regiment, Captain Dąbrowski, Lieutenant Drozdowski and Lieutenant- Colonel Janusz from the 12th “Skałat” Battalion of the Border Protection Corps, Chief Superintendent Nagler, Subinspector Stadler, Kiniczyk, Superintendent Pękala, Bober, and other officers from the National Headquarters of the State Police.
From 6 March to 30 July 1940, I was incarcerated in Melitopol prison. My co-prisoners were Captain Kaczkowski, Captain Kopeć from the Tarnopol Provincial Office, Company Sergeant Jan Büsser from the 12th “Skałat” Battalion of the Border Protection Corps, Mieczysław Zalipka – the son of a captain from Wilno, Okienko – the owner of a house at Wigury Street 2 in Tarnopol, Frankowski, Król, Mazut, Markiewicz, and others, whose surnames I don’t recollect.
Between 1 August 1940 and 2 April 1941, I was detained in Kiev prison, Lukianivka special corps, in cells nos. 47, 27 and 18. My co-prisoners were Captain Antoni Zieliński – an engineer from Lwów, Captain Jan Górawski, at the time assigned to the 8th Light Artillery Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division, Captain Rytel, Lieutenant (engineer) Kwolek from Lwów, Wosiatka – a driller from Drohobycz, Borkowski – a notary public, and a great many others, whose surnames I don’t remember. On 2 April 1941, I was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment in the Kotlas forced labor camp complex for cooperating with Branch II (§ 54 „6”), and on 5 April 1941 they transported me to Kharkiv.
Between 6 April and 22 August 1941, I was detained in isolation prison no. 1 in Kharkiv. My co-prisoners were Lieutenant Czesław Bogdanowicz – currently assigned to the “Etapy” Army Training Center, Officer Cadet Mieczysław Rutkowski from Warsaw, Senior Rifleman Jabłoń – currently assigned to the Artillery Reserve Center, Corporal Staruszkiewicz from Czortków, Wasyl Prodan from Okopy Świętej Trójcy, Zenon Kuśmierenko, Stefaniszyn, Korneluk, and many others.
Finally, from 22 August to 9 September 1941 I was en route to the Pechora forced labor camps, while from 9 until 22 September we were held temporarily in one of the Pechora Lags [corrective forced labor camps].
4. Description of the camp, prison:
The hygienic conditions in prison were bad, this due to overcrowding, lice, the immense stuffiness, and the complete lack of water for washing.
5. Social composition of POWs, prisoners, deportees:
I have already touched upon the social make up of deportees in point 3 above, concerning the names of prisons, camps, etc.
6. Life in the camp, prison:
Life in the prison was monotonous, for nothing at all happened. Mutual relations between us Poles were on the whole good. We didn’t organize any cultural activities, for the Soviets had cameras trained on us, and there were also Soviet undercover agents who would take photographs.
While in the prison in Kharkiv, we discussed the present war, however our conversation was denounced to the authorities by Wasyl Prodan from Okopy Świętej Trójcy. Four of our companions – Lieutenant Czesław Bogdanowicz, Officer Cadet Mieczysław Rutkowski, Corporal Jabłoń and Mr Staruszkiewicz – were charged with committing this infringement and put on trial, whereas on 31 July 1941 they were sentenced to death.
These men currently serve in the Polish Army.
7. Attitude of the authorities, NKVD towards Poles:
The prison authorities treated us Poles ruthlessly – we would be locked up in the punishment cell and thereafter tried for even the slightest infringement of regulations. However no propaganda was disseminated.
8. Medical care, hospitals, mortality rate:
The medical care in prison was passable; I have no information concerning deaths.
9. Was it at all possible to keep in touch with the home country and your family? If yes, then what contacts were permitted?
I had no contact with either the home country or my family since the day of my arrest.
10. When were you released and how did you get through to the Polish Army?
I was released from the Pechora forced labor camp on 22 September 1941 and shortly left for Buzuluk, where on 25 October 1941 I was enlisted in the Polish Armed Forces (Army Headquarters, Branch I).