JÓZEF KALINKO

16 January 1950, Warsaw. 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 Józef Kalinko
Date and place of birth 27 January 1912, Augustów
Parents’ names Antoni and Ewa, née Gołębiewska
Father’s occupation Carpenter
State affiliation and nationality Polish
Religious affiliation Catholic
Education 6 grades of elementary school
Occupation Plumber
Place of residence Warsaw, Hrubieszowska Street 7, flat 52
Criminal record None

At the moment when the Warsaw Uprising began, I was in the house at Hrubieszowska Street 7. Until 13 August 1944, things were calm in our street. Most of those who lived on Hrubieszowska Street were employed at the Phillips factory. For this reason, the Germans carried out no executions here. On 9 or 10 August, the residents were ordered to dismantle the anti-tank barricade that had been erected at the intersection of Hrubieszowska and Przyokopowa streets. While the people were carrying out the order, German bombers flew over and bombarded this part of the street. A few people were killed and a few wounded. The wounded were put in the office in which the administration of our house was based. On 13 August 1944, all the people from the surrounding streets, including our own, were ordered by the Germans to come out. They were marched in the direction of Narutowicza Square.

I didn’t leave the house, along with a group of about 40 people. Until 28 August 1944, we hid in the grounds of the Klawy chemical factory. It was located on Przyokopowa Street, adjoining our house. I would go there every day to get something to eat. As there were no wounded in the office, they must have been taken away along with the rest of the people.

There were three paralyzed old women lying in the basement. One of them died in mid- August. The remaining two were still alive as I was leaving the area.

On 28 August, the Germans took us all from this area to the church in Wola. Some men stayed in Warsaw for work. The rest, including myself, were transported to Pruszków.

After my return to Warsaw in August 1945, I saw that the basements of our house had been burnt. I do not know what happened to the elderly who were alive when I left the place. Perhaps Józef Miłosz, the house administrator, could provide more detailed information (he resides at Hrubieszowska Street 7). He returned to Warsaw earlier than I did.

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