Mikołów, 11 May 1989
Editorial Board of the “Zorza” weekly
Mokotowska Street 43
00-551 Warsaw
In response to the appeal published in “Katolik”, issue 14, of 2 April, I hereby report my brother Józef Szombara as missing; he was taken captive by the Russians (Soviets) and incarcerated at the camp in Ostashkov. From there, he sent a letter to his family (copy attached). This is the last trace of my brother that I know of. Unfortunately the letter is faded and difficult to decipher, but at least fragments of it are still legible.
Personal data of my brother:
1) Name and surname: Józef Szombara.
2) Date and place of birth: 17 December 1906 in Wyry (now Tychy-Wyry).
3) Education: eight grades of elementary school in Mikołów.
4) Occupation: policeman.
5) Place of work: police station in Lipiny Śląskie. In 1938 he was posted to Zaolzie, but I don’t remember the name of the town.
6) Rank: constable.
7) When the war broke out in 1939, the police force was formed into a company and marched east, where they were captured by the Russians. I know about this because my friends from Mikołów, who also fled east, recognized my brother in a marching column.
8) My family received one letter from my brother, written at the camp in Ostashkov. I attached its Xerox copy.
9) Submitted by: […]