Ryszard Bucior
Class 7A
Sienno, 15 November 1946
Recollection of German crimes
I remember horrible crimes and murders committed in Sienno by the German gendarmerie and Schupo [German law enforcement during the Second World War], who lived in Sienna for a while. One night I woke up abruptly, awakened by the sound of grenade explosions and rifle shots. Then I saw a huge fire in the city, started by the Schupo. They set buildings with people inside on fire. And when those in fear of the fire started to flee, then they were cut down by the Germans. That night was horrible, because many people fell victim, trying to save people from the fire. During the same night they murdered the family of my friend. During the funeral I saw one teacher, whose skull was shattered from bullets. They murdered a doctor, who they took away at night to the cemetery, and even ripped his clothes off. They murdered a family of eight people. The Germans abused the people so much, that after their deaths they threw them into the fires. Standing aside, they were watching [the whole situation] with derisiveness. Every day I woke up wondering if I would live to see the next day. When the enemy was banished from the country, I saw deep holes filled with victims, [the bodies of] Poles. Those victims were tied together with thick wire. I saw a lot of dead people, who I remember, because there were horrible things happening in our settlement of Sienno. And this is proved by the mass graves located in and throughout the region.