In Suchedniów on this day, 3 June 1948, at 3.00 p.m., I, Wacław Smolarczyk from the Citizens’ Militia Station in Suchedniów, acting on the basis of Article 20 of the provisions introducing the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the participation of reporter Alojzy Kocela, whom I have informed of the obligation to attest to the conformity of the report with the actual course of the procedure by his own signature, have heard the person named below as a witness. Having been advised of the right to refuse to testify for the reasons set forward in Article 104 of the CCP and of the criminal liability for making false declarations, pursuant to Article 140 of the Penal Code, the witness testified as follows:
| Name and surname | Franciszek Dupak |
| Parents’ names | Piotr and Rozalia, née Jaworska |
| Date and place of birth | 28 February 1927 in Michniów |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Father’s occupation | farmer |
| Place of residence | Michniów, Suchedniów commune |
| Relationship to the parties | none |
With regard to the matter at hand I can provide the following information: On 12 July 1943 at about 1.00 a.m. the Gestapo and the German gendarmerie surrounded the village of Michniów. Until 4.00 a.m. the Germans watched people move around and then they began to stop those who were going to work – for example, to the factory in Skarżysko-Kamienna, to the sawmill in Berezowo or to the railway station. Some people were stopped in the woods. The Germans told them to lie down on the ground regardless of whether or not someone had his or her papers. From among those whom the Germans stopped in the woods, the women were deported to Germany. The men, on the other hand, were taken to Michniów, where they were searched and where the Germans also detained other people, including women and children. After rounding up those whom they came across, the Germans began to burn the village, throwing people into the fire. 50 people were burned alive. Once the execution was over the Gestapo and the gendarmerie left. Having learned about this barbarous execution, Polish partisans, on the night of 12 to 13 July 1943, stopped the German holiday train between Krzyżka and Berezów and killed all the Germans from this train.
Following the operation carried out by Polish partisans, German gendarmerie and Gestapo from the area of Kielce, Skarżysko and Starachowice arrived at Michniów from the side of Suchedniów and, having surrounded the village, began to burn and destroy everything, throwing those who fell into their hands into the fire, including everyone from little babies to the oldest man. Those who managed to escape saved their lives, but they were still pursued by German gendarmerie. In the space of two days the Germans murdered 203 people, of whom 5 were found lying dead in the field. When the Germans left, all the dead were buried in the common grave in Michniów. The Germans razed the village to the ground and killed its inhabitants because the latter offered refuge to Polish partisans and to the Soviets transferred to Poland and provided food to the partisans staying the woods.
I don’t know the perpetrators. Stefan Kwardowski, who lives in Orzechówka, Bodzentyn commune, is suspected of informing on the Poles to the Germans. I wish to note that after the events in Michniów, we went to Kwardowski’s house, but we didn’t find him there. He went to the Germans and joined the German gendarmerie. After the execution in Michniów someone informed on me to the Germans too and, on 7 January 1944, I was arrested and sent to the concentration camp in Gross-Rosen.
At this the report was read out and signed.