Lech Marszula
Class 3
11 April 1946
My education during the occupation
Spring. Nature was coming to life. The birds sang joyfully, enjoying the coming comforter of cold and hungry creatures. The sun warmed the thirsty earth with life-giving rays. Joy and happiness were everywhere, but sadness has been present in our hearts for four so long and seemingly eternal years. What a life, what hopes for the future! The occupiers at every step mistreated and tyrannized us Poles, though we did nothing wrong – only we did not want to surrender our land. The Germans forbid the youth to learn, because they thought that [this way] they would lead Poland to collapse. They believed that the young generation, without being educated, would not become familiar with the history and literature of Poland and that young people without studying science, would not be good citizens. Their hopes were vacant. The young people, as far as it was possible, sought to gain knowledge, desiring it and considering it the only foundation for future independent Poland. And I, similarly to almost all my friends, attended the secret classes. They were our only pleasure and we felt in our element despite the danger at every moment. With what great dedication our beloved professors lectured! And yet at any moment the gendarmes could enter and deprive us of freedom, and often of our lives. Our teachers comforted us as much as possible, lifting our spirits. It should be attributed to them that Poland did not perish, and we hope to God that it will never perish!