On 1 December 1947 in Miastko, the Municipal Court in Miastko, with Judge B. Polański presiding and with the participation of a reporter, K. Zamyłka [or Zamyłko], interviewed the person specified below as a witness. Having advised the witness of the criminal liability for making false declarations, of the provisions of Article 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and of the significance of the oath, the Judge administered the oath pursuant to Articles 111 and 113 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The witness then testified as follows:
| Name and surname | Witold Lendzion |
| Date of birth | 16 September 1918 |
| Parents’ names | Bolesław and Maria |
| Place of residence | Miastko, Podhalańska Street 3 |
| Occupation | office worker |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Relationship to the parties | none |
Having read the testimonies of defendants Grabner and Aumeier given in the course of the trial in Kraków, and knowing the truth about the defendants’ activities and responsibility at the Auschwitz camp, I state the most important facts concerning the conduct of the said defendants.
I arrived at the camp on 17 December 1942 (prisoner number 84765). On 5 February 1943, along with the group called Bodenwirtschaftsdienst [office of measurements], five prisoners received coffee from a woman – whose name I don’t know – during measuring work in Bór – Budy. Consequently, they were charged by Palitzsch, who was Rapportführer [report leader] at the time. Aumeier brutally beat them and punished them with detention in block 11. Grabner approved their execution which was carried out on 13 February.
On 13 May 1943, after three prisoners from Baubiuro [building office] escaped, Aumeier and Grabner had 26 of the surveyors who carried out fieldwork that day – myself included – detained in block 11. On 25 June 1943, 13 prisoners from this group were shot, and 12 were officially hanged in front of the camp kitchen on 24 July 1943. At the time of my detention in the bunker in block 11, which lasted 3 months and 17 days, I observed that defendants Aumeier and Grabner carried out about 50 executions within that period, killing at least 5,000 prisoners.
Being the head of the political department, Grabner would make a list of the prisoners in block 11 every day, adding appropriate annotations concerning those who were to be executed. As Lagerführer [camp leader], Aumeier personally approved Grabner’s suggestions in block 11, adding many more of his own. During my stay in block 11, no Jew or Gypsy left this block alive. On numerous occasions I heard Aumeier, frequently drunk, uttering his famous words: “Raus mit der Scheiβe” [out with this shit].
While I was in cell 18 right next to the black “death wall”, I heard every word spoken by Aumeier and Grabner, as well as Grabner’s assistants who made fun of the prisoners. I gathered from their words that [Aumeier and Grabner] were often the ones shooting. Apart from executions of the camp prisoners, at least twice a week they conducted executions of the civilians who were in the same block on the second floor. One day, I overheard what “crimes” these civilians had committed: “I have to die horribly for getting a pair of shoes!”
I take full legal responsibility for declaring that Aumeier and Grabner mercilessly decided upon life and death, not only of prisoners, but also civilians. On their direct and autonomous order, about 5,000 people died within this short time when I was detained in block 11. Some of my closest colleagues died this way: Władysław Cwikliński from Chełmża, Toruń district, Józef Dziuba, Tadeusz Kokierz, Sławiński, Edmund Sikorski, Janusz Skrzetuski and many, many others, whose names I don’t remember.
If my laconic testimony introduced something new to the case, please contact me in order to have me send a detailed report concerning the camp command’s conduct and the manner in which prisoners were treated, especially in block 11, and executed.
The report was brought to a close.
It was read out and signed.