HALINA SMOLIŃSKA

On 17 September 1947 in Grodzisko, the Municipal Court in Grodzisko, criminal justice department, in the person of Court Manager Judge Franciszek Jędrzejewski, with the participation of a reporter, court clerk Jan Kaczmarek, interviewed the person specified below as a witness. Having advised the witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the wording of Article 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and of the significance of the oath, the Judge swore in the witness, who then testified as follows:


Name and surname Halina Smolińska
Age 38
Parents’ names Kazimierz and Maria, née Stroińska
Place of residence Michorzewo, Nowy Tomyśl district
Occupation teacher
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

On 15 May 1940, I was arrested and detained in Fort VII in Poznań, and then transported to the camp for women in Ravensbrück, where I stayed from 24 May 1940 until April 1945.

In Ravensbrück I met Mandl, who was an Aufseherin [overseer] at the time. I know that Mandl was the main overseer of the so-called bunker – a camp prison located partially underground. I know that she was generally feared because of her notorious cruelty. I came into direct contact with Mandl on 13 April 1942, on account of the suspicion that some of the Poles had stolen something from the kitchen. On her command I was detained in the underground cell in the bunker and completely starved for six days. Afterwards, I was interrogated by Mandl. Since none of the three accused Poles plead guilty or turned someone in, she punished us with six months in the punitive block.

Because of her eagerness, Mandl was promoted to Oberaufseherin. During the time of my detention in the bunker, every night I could hear a dog barking and prisoners being beaten. I was not beaten, but others who were have told me that Mandl and several others personally beat the prisoners in the bunker. I also know that when a column was passing by, she beat and kicked the prisoners for marching sloppily.

Today I do not remember exactly the names of the prisoners who were beaten, since there were about 40,000 of us. I can only say that I was in the bunker with Ms. Urszula Linowiecka (currently residing in Toruń, Garbary Street, I do not know the number), and Ms. Jadwiga Bock (also residing in Toruń, but I do not know the exact address).

I know that Mandl was transferred to Auschwitz in 1942.

The report was concluded.