JÓZEF TETELA

Kielce, 3 March 1948, 4.00 p.m. Stefan Młodawski from the Criminal Investigation Section of the Citizens’ Militia Station in Kielce, on the instruction of the Prosecutor from the District Court in Kielce, with the participation of court reporter Marian Poniewierka, heard the person named below as a witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the wording of Article 140 of the Penal Code, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Józef Tetela
Parents’ names Piotr and Agnieszka
Age 44 years old
Place of birth Kielce
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Occupation certified nurse
Place of residence Kielce [...]

During the occupation I worked as a paramedic in a prison hospital.

Having entered Kielce, the Germans took control over the prison until the liberation by the Polish Army. There were Poles, Jews and other people in the camp. At first there were about 3,000 inmates. After a few months, all military men were taken away, and about 400 civilians remained.

Some 3,000–4,000 prisoners might have passed through the prison from the beginning of the German rule until the liberation of Poland. Towards the end, on capitulation, the Germans released some 150 people and deported the rest in a direction unknown to me.

About 80% of prisoners worked in their profession, and about 10% were used for various works. The prisoners were poorly fed; they usually received beetroot, water, and carrots.

There was a hospital for men and for women in the prison. There was an epidemic of typhoid fever.

The executions took place outside the prison and were carried out by shooting. If a prisoner died a natural death, he would be buried by the municipal council but if he was executed, the Germans would take him and the Gestapo men would transport him in a car or a cart outside the city.

All material evidence was taken by the Germans.

I know the following surnames of the Gestapo men from the prison: commandant Kunze, Strime, Sznaplingier, Kratochwil, Kowalski, Harry, Szoimert, Frej, Chmielewski; Volksdeutscher Frydrych, Volksdeutscher Kuein. I don’t remember any more and I don’t know their addresses.

I also know the following surnames of the prisoners:

1) Czapka, residing in Kielce,

2) Akordii Jerzy, residing in Kielce,

3) Sikorski, residing in Kielce,

4) Bałanowski Natan, Kielce,

5) Lembert Haskiel, Kielce,

6) Garczarczyk Wilhelm, Kielce.

I don’t recall any more.

At this point the report was concluded, read out and signed.