Salzburg, 14 January 1946
The undersigned, Paweł Stolecki, born on 29 March 1920 in Imielin, student of commerce, former prisoner of concentration camps in Dachau, Auschwitz and Buchenwald, testifies under oath in the trial of former Auschwitz concentration camp prisoner, Jarmenko, as follows:
What I know about Jarmenko’s stay in the concentration camp in 1940 is the following. At that time, he was a guard in block 4 and an aide to the block leader Krankemann, the worst murderer and killer in the camp. He helped in the killing of prisoners transported from Leipzig and was the right-hand man of the SS guards. Krankemann would always choose the most charming prisoners who came from Warsaw and assign them to serve his personal friends. One of the worst of them, who killed and tortured people together with the block leader, was deputy Wacek (who killed many of my fellow inmates with a lethal injection). Since I did not stay in the same block as the defendant, I could not have witnessed his sadistic behavior at that time, but I heard about it. Jarmenko never missed the opportunity to beat his fellow inmates cruelly, without any reason, until they fell down unconscious.
I do not know how many prisoners died as a result of such behavior. I know that there was no hospital in the camp at that time. If a prisoner had injuries or signs resulting from such treatment, many of them consequently died, because they could not be nursed.
After the camp was liberated by the Allies, I heard the defendant speak about his heroic deeds. He said the following: “I wore the Allies uniform, improving my skills at stealing and raping young women”. Then, he said he had been the leader of a gang consisting of 30 men armed with machine guns. He told us he had come to Salzburg in order to sell stolen goods and that those were good times for him. What is more, he organized the beating of many prisoners in the camp. One day, we accused him of having done this and we asked him about what he had previously done in the camp, threatening that justice would be served by lynching. He told us the following: “In Ebensee, I pulled out the teeth of a number of prisoners, and I have 30 bandits under my command”. I knew we had no response to that. The inmates’ court, formed of former camp prisoners, having examined the case, ruled for Jarmenko’s liquidation. The Supreme Court is aware of the subsequent events.
Signed by: Paweł Stołecki, former prisoner no. 6964 of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
The SS men listed below were members of the command in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Their functions and behavior towards the prisoners are described below.
Höß: the camp commandant from [until] 1943 with the rank of Obersturmbannführer. He stands accused of the greatest murders and tortures in the camp. All prisoners were afraid of him. Any conversation with him brought certain death. Sometimes, long and horrible tortures. He was present at all executions, and he also killed prisoners with his own hands or with a gun.
Fritzsch: He was the camp’s commandant from 1943 [until 1942] with the rank of Hauptsturmführer. However, because of his cruelty, he was transferred to the Flossenbürg concentration camp. His specialty was to keep people standing in light clothes on the coldest winter days, exposing them to the influence of the air. For one fugitive prisoner, he would choose 10 or 20 others and sentence them to starvation in block 2. During the interrogation of prisoners, he used the following methods: he would deprive them of any food and, after several days, he would give them something very salty to eat and coerce them to testify.
Aumeier: the camp’s commandant in 1942 with the rank of Hauptsturmführer; transferred to Riga in 1943. He tortured prisoners in a very cruel manner. He entertained himself by shooting at prisoners and killing them as he pleased.
Seidler: Fritzsch’s successor with the rank of Obersturmführer in 1941; transferred as commandant to the Gusen camp. He was the most brutal sadist in the camp. I witnessed with my own eyes how he shot a Jew dead with his gun, because he was drunk.
Schwarz: From 1943, he was a work service leader (Arbeitsdienstführer) with the rank of Obersturmführer, later the commandant of the Auschwitz III camp. The following event, which took place during a roll call, may serve as an illustration of his criminal instincts: when passing by Russians standing in a row, he shot at them without asking any questions.
Grabner: the commandant of the Political Department, from 1943 holding the rank of Obersturmführer. Known for horrible tortures inflicted on prisoners during interrogation (he would hit prisoners in the face, beat them on the testicles with a thick pencil, starve or lock them in a dark cell). Everyone knows that he shot many prisoners. He was one of the worst tormentors of camp prisoners.
Palitzsch: a commander with the rank of Hauptsturmführer. He was also the worst sadist in the camp. He performed many executions personally.
Moll: with the rank of Hauptsturmführer; specialist in gas chambers. He was the head of a special kommando exterminating Jews by gassing them.
Boger: Head of the Security Service with the rank of Oberscharführer. He personally participated in special tortures during interrogations and killed anyone who did not want give him the answer he desired. Those who entered his room never left alive.
Lachmann: He was also a member of the Political Department, with the rank of Oberscharführer. He is responsible for grievous and cruel actions. His everlasting enemies were Polish prisoners. He ordered the shooting of many of them.
Fries: a work leader (Arbeitsdienstführer) with the rank of Unterscharführer, called “Steel August” by all prisoners in the camp. He was very tough and strict. People who knew him were terrified when they saw him and got out of his way. Because of his behavior, he was transferred to the SB antitank division.
Schoppe: a work leader with the rank of Unterscharführer. He was very harsh and brutal. Together with Fries, he performed many executions and tortures. Just like Fries, he was transferred.
Stiewitz or Stiebitz [Stiewitz]: He was known as a murderer of Russians in the camp. In one year, he was promoted from an ordinary SS man to Oberscharführer. He personally shot and killed many prisoners.
Kaduk: a Rapportführer, known as a murderer.
Siebert and Sommerer: two block leaders who were the cruelest people in the camp. I will never forget them.