BERNARD SZAŁWICKI

On 31 December 1947 in Radom, Investigative Judge B. Papiewski from the administrative area of the District Court in Radom interviewed the person specified below as a witness. Having advised the witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the significance of the oath, the Judge administered an oath pursuant to Article 254 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The witness then testified as follows:


Name and surname Bernard Szałwicki
Age 38
Parents’ names Franciszek and Teodozja, née Mackiewicz
Place of residence Żeromskiego Street 27, Radom
Occupation industrial worker
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

From the time of the establishment of the workshops I worked in a firm which operated on the premises of the craftsmen’s workshops called “Szop”, where 98 percent of the employees were Jewish. I was the manager and I worked there until the end of summer 1944. The clients of the workshops were mostly German. On several occasions I encountered the SS and police leader Böttcher on the premises of the workshops, but it was always in connection with business matters. Böttcher was always accompanied by a retinue, e.g. Blum, Weinrich, and Szypers. I have no specific information regarding Böttcher’s criminal activities, because the only dealings I had with him were connected strictly with trade. On the basis of 2.5 years of working in the workshops and encountering Jews on a regular basis, I think that Böttcher did not personally abuse the Jewish population (for they were terribly abused). He only gave orders and issued decrees which were carried out by his subordinates. It is possible that in some cases Böttcher acted in accordance with certain instructions or orders issued by superior authorities.

I have no more information regarding this case.

The report was read out.