On 14 August 1947 in Chorzów, the Municipal Court in Chorzów, Fifth Branch, with Judge J. Goettlich presiding, and with the participation of reporter Łaskawiec, interviewed the person named below as a witness, without taking an oath. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the wording of Article 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the witness testified as follows:
| Name and surname | Franciszek Stryj |
| Age | 35 |
| Parents’ names | Józef and Agnieszka Maria, née Gola |
| Place of residence | Nowy Bytom, Markowej Street 4 |
| Occupation | mine inspector |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Criminal record | none |
| Relationship to the parties | none |
| In the present case, I know | SS-Unterscharführer Breitwieser, and he is the person in the |
picture I have been shown. I met him in July 1943 in the Auschwitz camp and I knew him for about eight months. He was a co-supervisor, or deputy supervisor, of the SS- Unterkunftskammer, and he was in charge of the storehouse for everyday items.
I heard that he came from somewhere in eastern Poland, so he is a renegade. From my own experience, I know that he spoke Polish, but he would only speak that language when talking to prisoners who did not speak German, but could provide him with information, for instance when they were suspected of stealing something from the storehouse. He had a humorous nickname “Zyzio”, meaning a person who squints and peeps. He understood Polish very well, so when he was walking among prisoners he heard what they said to each other and he took advantage of it.
It is difficult for me to present specific facts, because there were many of them and they happened frequently. I also do not remember the names of those people anymore. I can only say that the suspect would watch prisoners and report them to his superior, Schindler, who in turn would call the prisoners in for interrogation, where they would be badly beaten.
The suspect himself did not abuse prisoners, and he hardly ever beat them, because he was a weak person. Only sometimes, when he got angry or someone really annoyed him, would he slap the prisoner in the face.
I also know that the suspect often travelled east and he always left with stuffed suitcases. Once, I even carried two of those suitcases, which were very heavy. I don’t know what was inside, but I assume that it must have been prisoners’ belongings, especially those of the gassed Jews.
The suspect would also choose people who were strict and sadistic from among the prisoners, and he would appoint them as kapos.
I was in the camp twice: first in 1941, but then I was transferred to Katowice to stand before the Sondergericht court. In July 1943, after I was convicted and had served my sentence, I was taken back to that camp, where I stayed until December 1944. Then, I was transferred to a different camp.
In 1941, I did not know the suspect and I had heard nothing about him.
As regards the present case, I could provide names of a few witnesses who know the suspect, but I do not remember their names at the moment, or if so I do not know their current place of residence. For now, I can provide only one name: Józef Wróbel from Ruda Śląska, who works in the mine “Karol” in Orzegów.
As far as the suspect is concerned, I can also say that when prisoners were finishing their work in the storehouse, he – together with his superior – searched them. If they caught someone stealing even the smallest item, the prisoner was badly punished by the head of the gendarmerie. This happened because of the suspect.
The report was read out and signed.