Editorial Board of the “Zorza” weekly
Mokotowska Street 43
00-551 Warsaw
Information about a person murdered in Katyń
| 1. | Józef Odbierzychleb, names of parents: Andrzej and Stefania, born on 9 November 1913 in Lansing, USA. Last place of residence: Poznań, Szkolna Street 7/8, flat 14. |
| 2. | Camp in Kozelsk. |
| 3. | Higher commercial education (Academy of Commerce in Poznań). Until 1939, he worked at the state bank in Poznań. |
| 4. | Military service: second lieutenant in the cavalry; he did his military service in Włodzimierz. On the Army Reserve List. Last military assignment: in Poznań. |
| 5. | N/A |
| 6. | He was seen for the last time in the second half of September 1939, some 7–10 kilometers from the Romanian border. There were seven of them, on horseback, wearing uniforms with army insignia (according to the account of a friend and eyewitness). |
| 7. | In November 1939, the parents of the above-named, residents of Błędowo, Toruńskie Voivodeship, received a letter from their missing son. [It contained] among others the following information: “I’m fine, I’m with Wacek Mitek from Płąchawy, stick together and everything will be all right”. The address was written in Russian, and the letter was sent from Smolensk. The second message came to the family in Warsaw at the turn of 1939/1940. The exact date cannot be provided as the letters went missing. The surname of the missing Józef Odbierzychleb was on the list published in the occupation press. Below I give the exact copy of the excerpt from the newspaper: “Odbierzychleb Józef – second lieutenant (documents found: a diploma of the Academy of Commerce in Poznań, a letter from the State Bank in Poznań, where O. was employed, a brochure of a Baptist sect, and a page of notes)”. |
| 8. | There are no other data. |
[Handwritten comment:] Wacław Mitek from Płąchawy, Toruńskie Voivodeship, never returned.