Janusz Rożniakowski
Class 5a
Public Elementary School No. 1 in Suchedniów
My memories of German crimes in Poland
In 1939, the Germans invaded Poland and occupied it until 1945. Suchedniów was greatly persecuted by the occupiers. The Germans organized round-ups, forcibly transporting people for labor in Germany.
Once I saw a car pull up near the station; 11 people got out, and the Germans started beating and kicking them. They were given shovels and ordered to dig ditches, and then everyone was shot. Next the Germans led out a second and third group of identical size and murdered these people in the same way. After the execution was over, the criminals left. People who witnessed the execution saw that the mouths of the unfortunate victims were plastered. There were many similar incidents.
The most terrible tragedy in the vicinity of Suchedniów was the burning and murder of the population of Michniów. The Germans suddenly drove their cars to the center of the village, throwing grenades at the houses, which immediately caught fire. People started to run away, and the Germans started shooting at the defenseless people. When the fires died out, the Germans left, and everybody thought it was over. Alas, the next day the Germans came back, but more numerous than before. They surrounded the village and this time they burned all the houses and all the people. The village looked like a burning torch. Those who wanted to escape from the burning houses were taken by the legs and thrown into the fire. Only about a dozen residents miraculously survived. Now there is a cemetery in this place to mark the heinous Nazi crimes that will never be forgotten.