WINCENTY PONIKOWSKI

In Słupia Nowa, on 4 May 1948, at 7:00 PM, I, Stanisław Tomczyk from the Citizens’ Militia station in Słupia Nowa, acting pursuant to Article 20 of the provisions introducing the Code of Criminal Procedure, by the order of the present vice-prosecutor of the 2nd District of the Prosecutor’s Office in Kielce of 20 March 1948 (LŻN 66/47), issued on the basis of Article 20 of the provisions introducing the Code of Criminal Procedure, while observing the formalities listed in Articles 235–240, 258, and 259 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the participation of reporter Jan Sepioło, whom I have instructed of the obligation to certify the compliance of the Protocol with the course of procedure by signing, heard the person named below as a witness. The witness, having been advised about the right to refuse to testify for reasons mentioned in Article 104 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, [and about] the liability for false testimony in accordance with Article 140 of the Penal Code, the witness stated as follows:


Name and surname Wincenty Ponikowski
Parents’ names Marcin and Gertruda née Adamska
Date and place of birth 5 October 1897, in Słupia Nowa
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Occupation carpenter
Place of residence Słupia Nowa, Słupia Nowa commune, Kielce district
Relationship to the parties none

Regarding the present case, I have the following knowledge. It was in 1942, on 7 July. The following people were brought from the prison in Kielce: Władysław Okulski, Józef Duś, Dąbrowski (residing in Słupia Nowa, Kielce district); and Wawrzyniec Kędziora, Józef Kędziora, [and] Wanda Kędziora (residing in [Milanowska] Wólka, Słupia Nowa commune). However, the following people: Józef Bis, Boroń, Jan Krowe [?], and Liszke [?], were strangers to me.

All of those mentioned were hanged on the poles of the power line in Słupia Nowa by the military policemen of the post in Bieliny and the Gestapo from Kielce; I did not know their names.

These people were hanged because in the village of Milanowska Wólka, Słupia Nowa commune, a German was shot by Konstanty Kozłowski, residing in Trzcianka, Słupia-Nowa commune, because this German would visit Wanda Kędziorówna. The execution was an order of retaliation. I do not know where the corpses of the hanged, after murder, were buried.

The testimony was concluded and read out before signing.