„Street after street, person after person” – official video
Giving voice to the witnesses of totalitarian crimes
Chronicles of Terror is one of the largest collections of civilian testimonies from occupied Europe and features hundreds of accounts submitted by Polish citizens, who suffered immense hardship at the hands of the German and Soviet totalitarian regimes during the Second World War. These materials reflect the personal experiences of thousands of Polish victims of totalitarian crimes, and also of their families and loved ones.
Until recently, witness depositions made before the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes in Poland were scattered and locked away in archives. The accounts of Poles – both soldiers and civilians who left the Soviet Union with General Anders’ Army – were gathered from 1943 on in the Middle East, while after the War they were reposited in the American Hoover Institution. The depositions concerning Poles who helped Jews during the occupation were collected from 1999 on by the Committee for the Commemoration of Poles who Saved Jews.
Today, for the first time, they can reach a much wider audience – both in Poland and around the world.
Testimonies in Polish
Testimonies translated into English
Published pages of source material
Analyzed pages of files
Collections
Defying Christianity - repressions against the Church
To annihilate the nation: intelligentsia, institutions, culture
Murders in the wrecked capital - executions on the former Ghetto premises
NKVD prisons – detainment, sentencing, and death
Germans in Radom – executions in Firlej
In a cattle wagon – by railroad to the East
The Germans in Kielce - Crimes Committed on Castle Hill
Reign of Terror - executions in the streets of Warsaw
Kozelsk – Polish officers in Soviet captivity
Terror in the Countryside - the case of Michniów
Radom 1942 – the price of resistance
Genocide in Wola - a district sentenced to death
Pawiak - the Warsaw execution site
Treblinka - a complex for the extermination of the Polish Jews
Ochota Massacre – the suffering of the district
Crimes in the "police district" – tragedy of insurgent Warsaw
Contrary to humanity - the pacification of hospitals in Warsaw
Helplessness and horror – women in the occupied Poland
Fear and shame – the plight of female deportees
A map of testimonies
Find out what happened to the residents of your town, street or house during World War II.
Places of arrests and round-ups, addresses of hiding places, harsh prisons, concentration camps, places of torture, deportations and executions – the map enables you to trace the fate of victims of totalitarian terror.
Select location where the events described by witnesses took place
Zoom in to see locations from particular testimonies
Recently added
-
TopicThe epilogue to September 1939 – Polish soldiers in Soviet captivity
Date1939.09.22-1941.08.12
LocationDubno (now in Ukraine), POW forced labor camp Podwołoczyska (Ukraine), forced labor camp for POWs Starobilsk (Ukraine), NKVD POW camp
-
TopicA race against time – the road to Anders' Army
Date1941.06.23-1942.01.17
LocationBuzuluk (Russia, Orenburg Oblast)
-
TopicIn the inhuman land – enslavement, starvation, disease
Date1941.06.23-1942.01.17
LocationKagan (Uzbekistan)
-
TopicThe Gulag Archipelago – Yaroslavl Oblast
Date1940.07.01-1941.09
LocationTashkent (Uzbekistan) Buzuluk (Russia, Orenburg Oblast) Republic of Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan)
Weiss Regina 08.12.1902, Nowy Sącz
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Stendig Jakub 17.06.1891, Kołomyja (Russia)
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Perlmann Maurycy 09.10.1926, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Pemper Mieczysław 24.03.1920, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Lempart Alojzy Andrzej 06.05.1917, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Głowacki Gustaw 10.04.1907, Wiedeń (Austria)
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Bau Józef 18.06.1920, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Pemper Mieczysław 24.03.1920, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date-
Location-
Recommended
Plewako Kama
TopicThe Katyń Massacre – reclaimed memory
Date1939.09-1944
LocationStarobilsk (Ukraine), NKVD POW camp Modlin Modlin
Kutzner Maria
TopicClandestine teaching – Warsaw
Date1939-1945
LocationPruszków, Dulag 121 Włocławek
Malinowska Jadwiga
TopicClandestine teaching – Lesser Poland
Date1939-1945
LocationPrzemyśl, prison, Rokitniańska Street 1 Tarnów (małopolskie voivodeship), penal institution, Konarskiego Street 2 KL Auschwitz-Birkenau
Gruszka Jan
TopicDisrupted childhood – the Zamość region
Date1944.06-1944.08
LocationRozkoszówka Jarosław (podkarpackie voivodeship) Uchanie
Sendler Irena 15.02.1910, Warszawa
TopicThe efforts of the Catholic Church to aid Jews
Date1939-1945
LocationWarsaw, Father Boduen Children's Home, Nowogrodzka Street 75 Turkowice (Hrubieszów district), Monastery of the Protection of Our Lady Warsaw, Father Boduen House, Nowogrodzka Street 75 Warsaw, Ghetto
Liberman Dawid 17.01.1912, Sosnowiec
TopicSonderkommando at Auschwitz-Birkenau – witnesses to Annihilation
Date1942.06.07-1944
LocationMechelen (Belgium), transit camp KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Canada" KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, V KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little White House” German extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau Auschwitz-Birkenau, German extermination camp
Kłodziński Stanisław 04.05.1918, Kraków
TopicAuschwitz-Birkenau – the German death factory
Date1940-1944
LocationKL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) KL Auschwitz I, Block 11 and Death Wall KL Auschwitz I, gas chamber and crematorium I KL Auschwitz I, Block 10 KL Auschwitz I KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, V KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little White House” Sosnowiec (Śląskie Voivodeship) KL Mauthausen-Gusen (Austria) Bydgoszcz Dęblin
Pietrzykowski Tadeusz 08.04.1917, Warsaw
TopicThe first at Auschwitz – transport from Tarnów
Date1940.06.14-1945.01.27
LocationKL Auschwitz I Babice, agricultural labor camp (subcamp of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau) KL Auschwitz I, gas chamber and crematorium I Auschwitz-Birkenau, German extermination camp German extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau KL Dachau (Germany) Międzybrodzie Bialskie, industrial labor camp (subcamp of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau) Tarnów (małopolskie voivodeship) Rajsko (Oświęcim district)
Kozubski Zygmunt 01.01.1887, Siepraw
TopicThe persecuted church
Date1939.10.03-1945.01
LocationWarsaw, Ghetto Grójec
Jaworska Kazimiera 1900
TopicThe Gulag Archipelago – Central Asia
Date1940.03.20-1942.02.29
LocationKarabash (Russia, Chelyabinsk Oblast) Grodno (Belarus), Mickiewicza Street 6 Pocieszka (Staszów, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship) Minsk (Belarus), "Wołodarka" prison, Waladarskaha Street 2 Pocieszka (Staszów, świętokrzyskie voivodeship) Karlag (Kazakhstan) Akoy (Prostornoye, Kazakhstan) Turkistan (Kazakhstan)
Grabosz Ludwika 1879?
TopicThe tragedy of the Radom Arms Factory
Date1942.09-1942.12
LocationRożki, train station Radom, Ogrodowa Street 12 (Wyszyńskiego Street) Radom, Rwańska Street
Iwańczuk Stanisława 15.08.1922, Zamłyń (now in Ukraine)
TopicIn exile – Arkhangelsk Oblast
Date1940.02.10-1942.11
LocationRymacze (now in Ukraine) Arkhangelsk (Russia, Arkhangelsk Oblast), train station Ust-Niamo (Russia, Arkhangelsk Oblast) Kadamjay District (Kyrgyzstan, Batken Region)
Most viewed
Matlak Maria 08.09.1912, Włosienica (Oświęcim district)
TopicAuschwitz-Birkenau - extermination camp
Date1943.05.24-1945.01.28
LocationKL Auschwitz I KL Auschwitz I, Block 11 and Death Wall KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Sauna Auschwitz-Birkenau, German extermination camp German extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau Bielsko-Biała, Gestapo headquarters, Matejki Street 6 Oświęcim
Karcz Jan 27.08.1915, Skalbmierz
TopicMass extermination - KL Neuengamme
Date1940.04.06-1945.05.03
LocationKraków, Gestapo headquarters, Pomorska Street 2 Miechów (małopolskie voivodeship) KL Auschwitz-Birkenau KL Neuengamme (Germany) KL Bergen-Belsen (Germany) Kraków, Montelupich Prison, Montelupich Street 7 Lübeck (Germany) Bay of Lübeck (Germany) Kraków, Pomorska Street 2 Miechów Skalbmierz
Tauber Henryk 08.07.1917, Chrzanów (małopolskie voivodeship)
TopicSonderkommando at Auschwitz-Birkenau – witnesses to Annihilation
Date1942.07-1945.01.18
LocationKL Auschwitz I Kraków, Montelupich Prison, Montelupich Street 7 KL Buchenwald (Germany) KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) KL Kaiserwald (Latvia) KL Auschwitz III (Monowitz) KL Majdanek KL Auschwitz I, Block 11 and Death Wall KL Auschwitz I, gas chamber and crematorium I KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, V KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little White House” KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little Red House” Kraków, ghetto KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Sauna KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Canada" Kraków, Jewish Police Service prison, Józefińska Street 37
Hegier (Rafalska) Helena 07.09.1916, Chișinău (Moldova)
TopicMass extermination – KL Ravensbrück
Date1941.01-1945.04
LocationKL Ravensbrück (Germany) Lublin, Lublin Castle, Zamkowa Street 9 Radzyń Podlaski
Cichoński Stefan Teofil 20.12.1891, Radom
TopicPruszków – the town of the displaced
Date1944.08.01-1944
LocationPruszków, Dulag 121 Warsaw, Dantyszka Street 1
Lurie Wanda Felicja 23.05.1911
TopicWola '44 – genocide in Warsaw
Date1944.08.05-1944.08.10
LocationWarsaw, Wawelberga Street 18 Warsaw, Ursus factory, Wolska Street 55 Warsaw, St. Adalbert's Church, Wolska Street 76 Warsaw, St. Adalbert's church, Wolska Street 76
Rachwał Stanisława 29.06.1906, Rudki (now in Ukraine)
TopicSelection – ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau
Date1942.10.12-1945.05.24
LocationKL Buchenwald (Germany) KL Ravensbrück (Germany) Rajsko (Oświęcim district) Poznań Poręba (district of Pszczyna) Kraków, Montelupich Prison, Montelupich Street 7 KL Sachsenhausen (Germany, Oranienburg) Kraków, Gestapo headquarters, Pomorska Street 2 Bełżec, German extermination camp Kraków, Sobieskiego Street 5 KL Auschwitz I KL Sachsenhausen (Germany, Oranienburg) KL Auschwitz I, gas chamber and crematorium I Bochnia, train station Pruszków, Dulag 121 KL Plaszow KL Auschwitz I, Block 10 KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) Berlin (Germany) KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Canada" KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, V KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Sauna KL Auschwitz-Birkenau, Ramp II KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Familienlager Theresienstadt KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Zigeunerfamilienlager KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little Red House” German extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), "Little White House” KL Auschwitz-Birkenau, Lagerhaus German extermination camp of Bełżec German extermination camp of Majdanek Auschwitz-Birkenau, German extermination camp German extermination camp of Treblinka Majdanek, German extermination camp Treblinka, German extermination camp Wodzisław Śląski Drezdenko Drancy (France) Brussels (Belgium) Zagreb (Croatia) KL Mauthausen-Gusen (Austria) Bydgoszcz KL Herzogenbusch (Netherlands) Łódź KL Theresienstadt (Czech Republic) KL Melk (Austria) Pszczyna Brzeszcze Nakło nad Notecią
Zachwatowicz Jan 04.03.1900, Gatchina (Russia)
TopicThe city condemned to death
Date1939.12-1945.01
LocationWarsaw, National Museum, Aleje Jerozolimskie 3 Warsaw, Saski Square (Piłsudskiego Square) Warsaw, Łazienki Królewskie [Royal Baths Park] Warsaw, Saski Square (Piłsudskiego Square) Warsaw, Royal Castle Warsaw, Royal Castle, Zamkowy Square 4 Warsaw, National Museum, Aleje Jerozolimskie 3 Warsaw, Piłsudskiego Square Warsaw, Daniłowiczowska Street Warsaw, University of Warsaw Library, Krakowskie Przedmieście Street 26/28 Warsaw, Old Town Warsaw, University of Warsaw Library, Krakowskie Przedmieście Street 26/28
Nelken Halina 22.09.1925, Kraków
TopicMass extermination – KL Plaszow
Date1944-1945.03
LocationKL Plaszow KL Malchow (KL Ravensbrück subcamp, Germany) Odrowąż (Końskie district) KL Auschwitz-Birkenau Kraków, Enamel Factory of Oskar Schindler (subcamp of KL Płaszów), Lipowa Street 4 Leipzig (Germany) Radom, train station, Podjazdowa Street (Beliny-Prażmowskiego Street 2)
Kruszewski Wojciech 06.08.1919, Stanin
TopicMass extermination - KL Flossenbürg
Date1941.01-1942.05.10
LocationKL Flossenbürg (Germany) KL Auschwitz-Birkenau Odrowąż (Końskie district) Radom, train station, Podjazdowa Street (Beliny-Prażmowskiego Street 2)
Unkiewicz Janina 15.01.1918, Lublin
TopicAuschwitz-Birkenau – the German death factory
Date1942.12.12-1945.01.16
LocationKL Auschwitz II (Birkenau) KL Auschwitz II (Birkenau), gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, V Lublin, Lublin Castle, Zamkowa Street 9 German extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau Auschwitz-Birkenau, German extermination camp
Sendecki Sylwester 1903?
Topic