JANINA SZYMCZYK

On 1 September 1947 in Lublin, the Municipal Court in Lublin, Penal Department, represented by Judge Cz. Chybowski, interviewed the person specified below as a witness. Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and of the wording of art. 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the witness testified as follows:


Name and surname Janina Szymczyk
Age 32
Parents’ names Józef and Weronika, née Marecka
Place of residence Lublin, 1 Maja Street 23, flat 9
Occupation commercial proxy at an earthenware wholesaler
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Criminal record none
Relationship to the parties none

I met Lächert at the Majdanek camp, where I was interned from January 1943 until July of the same year. Lächert was an overseer then – she escorted prisoners to labor sites and supervised them. I was not under her command.

As regards her behavior toward the prisoners, I cannot say anything. Let me say that every overseer abused prisoners. I do not know if she committed any atrocities. I do not know any people from her kommando and I cannot provide their names. I do not know anything else regarding this case. Let me state that I do not recognize her clearly in the photo. It could be that this was the one nicknamed “Brygida”, who was carnifex incarnate, but I do not recognize her in the photograph presented to me (the witness was shown a photograph of Hildegarde Lächert). Maybe some information about her can be provided by Śledzińska, a resident of Lublin, 1 Maja Street 23, flat 9, and Aleksander Celner, another resident of Lublin, Zamojska Street 9 (Glass and Earthenware Wholesaler).

The report was read out.