Polish War Crimes, Liaison Group, Team Brunswick
Hildesheim, 17 October 1946
In attendance:
Investigating Judge: Major R. Zdankiewicz, District Court judge
Reporter: U. Egler, secretary
Case against: [Alice] Orlowski
The witness appears, who, having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and legally sworn, testifies:
| Name and surname | Józefa Woźniak |
| Age | 27 |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Marital status | married |
| Occupation | unemployed |
| Relationship to the suspect | none |
| Convicted of perjury | no |
| Current place of residence | Trillke-Werke camp, Hildesheim |
| Place of residence in Poland | Warsaw, Żoliborz, Krasińskiego Street 8 |
In 1942 (I cannot be more specific), first my husband and then myself were arrested by the Germans and I was transported to the Tarnów prison. After approximately two weeks, I was transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. I remained there up until the evacuation, working at different kommandos.
In 1943, when Majdanek was liquidated, a large number of Häftlings [prisoners], women and men, were brought in from there, and with them came one German, whose name I did not know. We called her “Great Aufseherin” [overseer]. She wore an SS uniform and had a long pistol fixed to her belt. The said person was dreaded at the Auschwitz camp because she had a reputation for cruelty and the maltreatment of Häftlings.
I myself was never hit by her, but in a lot of cases I saw her beat other Häftlings, regardless of whether they were men or women. Such beatings took place daily. She beat prisoners either with a rod she carried on her or with her hand, on the face, or alternatively she kicked people (she wore black high boots). This Aufseherin simply liked beating people and she essentially did this for no reason. If somebody was not marching to the tune with their left leg that was enough for her to dash toward the victim and beat them.
Once, for instance, I saw the said person severely beat a young Polish Jewess because she was holding a piece of Swedish turnip she had found. The Aufseherin kicked her with full force, threw her to the ground, picked her up and then kicked her again. I did not witness any case where the said person killed somebody.
I am requesting that the recently arrested Orlowski be presented to me so I can verify if she is the same person whom I have referred to as the Aufseherin in my report.
At this the report was concluded. The report was read out before it was signed.