On 16 November 1948 the Magistrates Court in Zwoleń, with Judge Łowicki presiding and with the participation of a reporter, Gwarek, interviewed the person mentioned hereunder as a witness. After advising the witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the significance of the oath, the judge took an oath therefrom, following which the witness testified as follows:
Name and surname | Jan Markowski |
Age | 55 years old |
Parents’ names | Kazimierz and Agnieszka |
Place of residence | Zamość, commune of Grabów |
Occupation | farmer |
Criminal record | none |
Relationship to the parties | none |
At 1.00 or 2.00 p.m. on 10 July 1942, I was in the blacksmith’s shop of Józef Śmietanka in Zamość when a motor car drove up with 6 German gendarmes. All the gendarmes exited the vehicle, entered the smithy and, after asking Śmietanka for his name and surname, and also inquiring after the address of Bronisław Śmietanka from Stefanów, they took Józef Śmietanka to the car, saying that he would accompany them to the house of Bronisław Śmietanka. They returned after 2–3 hours, however neither of the Śmietanka brothers were with them. A few minutes before their return, I heard 2 shots from the direction of the village of Stefanów. As it later turned out, both brothers had been shot dead at that very time. The gendarmes were from the station in Zwoleń, however I don’t know the surnames of any of them. Neither do I know the reasons for the Śmietankas’ execution.