NOWACKI ZYGMUNT

On 16 September 1947 in Jelenia Góra, Investigating Judge of the District Court in Jelenia Góra with its seat in Jelenia Góra, in the person of Judge Czapski, interviewed the person specified below as an unsworn witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the significance of the oath, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Zygmunt Nowacki
Age 54
Parents’ names Adam and Maria
Occupation manager of an art gallery
Place of residence Cieplice, [...]
Criminal record five-year imprisonment in the camp
Relationship to the parties prisoner of the SS

Hauptsturmführer Hans Aumeier held the post of Lagerführer [head of the camp] at Auschwitz, where I was prisoner number 4617. Aumeier terrorized all prisoners, even German kapos and block leaders. Inmates nicknamed him “Łokietek” [elbow-high]. He would personally beat and abuse the Poles. He even repeatedly smashed and kicked the face of August Müller, for bringing a kommando back to the camp 5 minutes ahead of time. He relished watching the hanging of 12 prisoners from Bauleitung [construction work administration]. They were made to climb a stool under a pole from which the nooses were hung. Aumeier selected prisoners whom he ordered to put a noose around their colleagues’ necks. No one was brave enough to refuse because Aumeier obviously would have shot on the spot anyone who dared disobey him. I witnessed these and dozens of other events which lead me to believe that Aumeier was as cruel as Fritz or Seidler.

The above is concordant with the oral testimony. The report was read out.