Class 7
Public Polish Elementary School in Radzyń
My wartime experiences
It all happened in 1945 in Kowel, during the German occupation. Rumors abounded that the Soviets were approaching the city, but that three German armored divisions, stationed in the town, were putting up stiff resistance.
The first Soviet assault lasted two hours. The shells set fire to the mill and houses in the two streets closest to it. The Soviets fired off their artillery and attacked with tanks and infantry, while bombs fell from above – a terrible experience, all you could hear was the roar of explosions and the crash of falling houses.
We were in a small cellar, and there were some 20 of us, including a few small children who were crying with fear. A wounded man was brought up: his arm dangled on a piece of skin, and his body was spiked with shrapnel. The Germans hid their batteries in houses, hospitals, chapels and orchards. A machine gun nest with an observer was set up on the church steeple. Bombs fell on the cemetery, tearing up the graves and strewing bodies all around; some were even thrown into the trees. The Germans forced people to build bunkers in the streets.
At night, the Soviets fired their Katyushas. Kowel was ablaze, and soon only the SS men were offering any resistance. Lacking food, the German soldiers took everything: cows, horses, hay, straw – everything. Easter was drawing near. Some people didn’t have any bread; a few days more and there would be starvation.
Suddenly, the Germans gave an order: the populace would be deported to Germany, while those who stayed behind would be shot. We were given 25 minutes to ready ourselves. The people cried in anger, but what could they do? We gathered up what food we had and walked, under a hail of bullets, to the army ramp. Those who failed to comply were to be shot on the spot.
When the people left the town, the Germans started looting the semi-destroyed houses. These tribulations lasted for two months – people tried to save themselves from death by hunger, rapidly losing all hope of salvation.