ALEKSANDER DENISOW

Warsaw, 11 November 1950. Trainee Judge Irena Skonieczna, acting as a member of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland, interviewed the person named below, who testified as follows:


Name and surname Aleksander Denisow
Date and place of birth 15 February 1901 in Priticzow (Russia)
Parents’ names Szymon and Awdotia, née Romanow
Father’s profession laborer
Citizenship and nationality Polish, Russian
Religion Orthodox
Education able to read and write
Profession laborer
Place of residence Warsaw, Solec Street 59, flat 3
Criminal record none

When the Warsaw Uprising broke out, I was at home at Solec Street 35, where I stayed until the middle of September 1944, that is until the Germans occupied our house. On that day, while there was fighting in the courtyard of our house, we managed to escape – under fire – to the neighboring house at Idźkowskiego Street 4. After a few hours the Germans resumed their attack. They ordered everyone to leave the basements, threatening that they would throw in grenades if we did not obey.

The people started to come out. The Germans shot at those who were first to leave, both women and men. Next we were ordered to proceed towards the school at Zagórna Street 9. We passed through incessant gunfire, for Germans on the odd-numbered side of Idźkowskiego Street continued to shoot at the retreating soldiers of Berling’s army. They also shot at anyone who tried to escape towards the Vistula. Idźkowskiego Street was soon strewn with bodies.

At the school the Germans separated the women from the men. The women were led to Pruszków, while the men were detained for work. I was kept at the school at Wrońskiego Street for a week or so. From there they would take us to the banks of the Vistula to collect the bodies of dead Germans, which we carried to the parliamentary garden at Wiejska Street, where they were buried. Next I was taken to the camp at Litewska Street. From there we were led in groups to bury bodies along the entire bank of the Vistula.

During this period I was also taken to Idźkowskiego Street. There were many dead people lying there, however I cannot provide an accurate number. We were ordered to dig two pits, into which we threw the bodies. Another pit had been dug in the courtyard near the school at Zagórna Street, however I did not work on it. I know that the Polish Red Cross conducted an exhumation in this area. They should know how many people there were in the pits.

At this point the report was brought to a close and read out.