MARIA STACHURSKA

Warsaw, 28 September 1949. A member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, Irena Skonieczna (MA), interviewed the person named below as an unsworn witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations, the witness testified as follows:


Forename and surname Maria Stachurska, I voto Stępień, née Mandziak
Date and place of birth 8 July 1912 in Marki near Warsaw
Names of parents Tomasz and Rozalia, née Strąk
Father’s occupation craftsman bricklayer
State affiliation and nationality Polish
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Education elementary school
Occupation post office worker
Place of residence Warsaw, Kamienna Street 16, flat 57
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was in Schicht’s house at Nowy Zjazd Street 1. I had previously worked in the kitchen of the military hospital which happened to be located in Schicht’s house. When the Uprising broke out, four Polish women were working in the kitchen: Danka (I do not know her surname or address, it is said that she lives in Szczecin), Janka (I think that she is in Czechoslovakia), and Henryka Franczuk (resident at Słoneczna Street, but I do not know her exact address), who is employed at the Ministry of Public Security at Koszykowa Street. Also Janek, who is now in Czechoslovakia as well, worked in the kitchen.

I do not remember how long we stayed at Schicht’s house. I am unable to provide even a rough estimate in weeks; maybe two, or maybe three.

During this time, I witnessed how the Germans from our house (I am unable to specify their unit but they wore grey-blue uniforms, so they could have been airmen) set fire to houses on the opposite side of Nowy Zjazd Street. I saw how a German tore a curtain from the window in one of the houses, doused it with some flammable liquid from a can which he was holding in his hand, and then set the building on fire. I also saw Germans shooting into the windows of neighboring houses. Once I also witnessed how the Germans dragged people from the basements of a house on the corner of Nowy Zjazd and Dobra streets. Some of these people had bandaged heads and arms.

It was said that the Germans executed them. Henryka Franczuk may be able to provide more details about this incident. Furthermore, I heard that the Germans threw a little girl, some 10 years old, into a burning building not far from Schicht’s house.

I did not hear anything about the Germans executing anyone near our house or executing residents of the professors’ dormitory.

I do not remember the date, but it was shortly after our house had been evacuated that we left together with the Germans for Bielany, and from there proceeded by car to Modlin and Czechoslovakia. The following people lived in Schicht’s house apart from the kitchen employees: Jankowski – stoker, Stępień – porter, Julian – lift attendant, and their families.

At this point the report was concluded and signed.