Partisan newspaper
Object numberM2017/029
TitlePartisan newspaper
DescriptionPartisan weekly newspaper, Wolna Polska (Free Poland), published by the League of Polish Patriots, Moscow. It features a report by Dr Jozef Parnas, prominent leader of the Polish partisans who undertook guerrilla warfare in occupied Poland.
Excerpt: "...Small town Wysock. Behind the barbed wire of the Ghetto reside some 3000. On the sands on the outskirts of the town, long deep ditches are dug. Worried Jews are sending members of the Judenrat (Elders of the Jewish Communities) with gifts to the Gestapo asking for explanation. They are told that the ditches are dug for soldiers only. But the very same night the SS and police surround the Ghetto and at dawn, groups of Jews are being led to the place of execution...From the town the first group of Jews was approaching. They were only wearing their underwear. In the first line – the town’s old Rabbi and next to him Dr Markowitz. Men were holding hands of women and children. All were white-pale but walked calmly. Some had their heads bowed down, some looked around as though to see the world for the last time. And thus they approached the ditches...The first to get into the ditch was the Rabbi. Completely naked he positioned himself at the bottom of the ditch in muddy water. Dr Markowitz broke down. In a trembling voice he begged the beastly murderers for mercy, trying to convince them that as a young Jew he is still able to work. With a vicious blow of a rifle the German soldiers pushed him down into the ditch. When the ditches were filled a command was screamed out and shots were fired. But not everyone was “lucky” to die at once. Some were left wounded and left to horrific sufferings, moaning in pain..."
This newspaper article, kept by Henry Markowitz, is how he heard about the fate of his brother Leopold's murder on 10 September 1942.
Excerpt: "...Small town Wysock. Behind the barbed wire of the Ghetto reside some 3000. On the sands on the outskirts of the town, long deep ditches are dug. Worried Jews are sending members of the Judenrat (Elders of the Jewish Communities) with gifts to the Gestapo asking for explanation. They are told that the ditches are dug for soldiers only. But the very same night the SS and police surround the Ghetto and at dawn, groups of Jews are being led to the place of execution...From the town the first group of Jews was approaching. They were only wearing their underwear. In the first line – the town’s old Rabbi and next to him Dr Markowitz. Men were holding hands of women and children. All were white-pale but walked calmly. Some had their heads bowed down, some looked around as though to see the world for the last time. And thus they approached the ditches...The first to get into the ditch was the Rabbi. Completely naked he positioned himself at the bottom of the ditch in muddy water. Dr Markowitz broke down. In a trembling voice he begged the beastly murderers for mercy, trying to convince them that as a young Jew he is still able to work. With a vicious blow of a rifle the German soldiers pushed him down into the ditch. When the ditches were filled a command was screamed out and shots were fired. But not everyone was “lucky” to die at once. Some were left wounded and left to horrific sufferings, moaning in pain..."
This newspaper article, kept by Henry Markowitz, is how he heard about the fate of his brother Leopold's murder on 10 September 1942.
Production placeMoscow, Russia
Production date 1942 - 1942
Subjectpartisans, resistance, shootings
Object namearticles
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 275.00 mm
height: 263.00 mm
Language
- Polish Corps Comrade in Arms
Remember – Revenge!
Doctor Jozef Parnas
I returned from the battlefield, where Partisans fought with the deadly enemy. I have seen so many atrocities, that I became almost indifferent to any sight of death, human sufferings, or even bleeding babies.
Of course the Germans are behind all this. But today – as Tuwim (Polish Poet) writes: Mourning creeps into every household and the cup of bitterness has been swallowed to the last drop. I will tell you about a few facts that we have witnessed – listen!
To satisfy the bloodthirsty instincts of the German people, Hitler signs an order to annihilate the Polish Nation. As a result, hundreds of fires burn the fields in villages of the Ukraine and Bialorussia.
It is the summer of 1942. Desperate and enraged people grab whatever weapon they can trying to fight off the deadly enemy. The cemeteries of small towns and villages are being filled with graves of Germans, killed by the hands of Partisans. Gestapo and SS are enraged beyond any control. And the revenge of course is against Jews. Systematically, town after town, is witnessing the most horrific bestialities that last, till this particular town is completely annihilated. Wiped out.
Small town Wysock. Behind the barbed wire of the Ghetto reside some 3000. On the sands on the outskirts of the town, long deep ditches are dug. Worried Jews are sending members of the Judenrat (Elders of the Jewish Communities) with gifts to the Gestapo asking for explanation. They are told that the ditches are dug for soldiers only. But the very same night the SS and police surround the Ghetto and at dawn, groups of Jews are being led to the place of execution.
Disregarding the danger, we approached and concealed ourselves in a pile of straw. We had our own aim in that as we made contact with two girls who under our secret instructions were supposed to escape and join us.
From the town the first group of Jews was approaching. They were only wearing their underwear. In the first line – the town’s old Rabbi and next to him Dr. Markowitz. Men were holding hands of women and children. All were white-pale but walked calmly. Some had their heads bowed down, some looked around as though to see the world for the last time. And thus they approached the ditches. Here the Rabbi in a tight and low voice started to speak and appealed to all to pray and to calmly accept their cruel fate. The Germans ordered them to kneel. In this position they awaited their turn.
The first to get into the ditch was the Rabbi. Completely naked he positioned himself at the bottom of the ditch in muddy water. Dr. Markowitz broke down. In a trembling voice he begged the beastly murderers for mercy, trying to convince them that as a young Jew he is still able to work. With a vicious blow of a rifle the German soldiers pushed him down into the ditch. When the ditches were filled a command was screamed out and shots were fired. But not everyone was “lucky” to die at once. Some were left wounded and left to horrific sufferings, moaning in pain. Naked women were entering the ditches trying to cover their babies with their own bodies, talking to them and trying to calm them down. One young girl is reluctant to undress. The redheaded beast in human body grabs her arm and pushed her down into the ditch. Then the redhead notices a mother with a crying child not approaching the ditch, the “beast” grabs the child from her arms and lifts it high above his head. The child stops crying and smiles happily to him while he throws it into the ditch, the mother was already pushed down. The child cries “Tate” (Daddy in Yiddish) and at this moment shivers run down my spine.
Janek and myself we do not cry. We looked and looked wanting to absorb every detail, to revenge it later. And so, three groups of people are brought and executed in the same gruesome manner. One incident occurred that the execution was stopped for a short moment. One woman with an infant in her arms before entering the ditch tries to talk to the executioners, and announces that the baby is not Jewish, he is a son of Polish man and a Polish woman and she is bring him up. A quick check and the baby is snatched from her while she was pushed down into the ditch.
When the fourth group was lead through the streets of the town to the place of execution; peopled started to kick into the thick dust with their heels; it was done on some signal. A heavy cloud rose in the air creating a hurricane of dust. People started to run and escape to the river. Thus maybe 70% of the people escaped to the partisans and saved their lives. 70% only from the fourth group.
That day I went to the local club. I wanted to be the keenest observer, to be able to prosecute later in front of The People’s Tribunal (created by the Poles to prosecute collaborators, mainly practiced by Partisans.) among the drinkers were Germans, local traitors and collaborators with their women. I sat by myself until a local policeman whom I knew joined me. He was drunk but did not stop talking, “You know the doctor, the pharmacist and his family tried to poison themselves but were smarter and managed to drag them into the ditch. A bit of pity about Dr. Markowitz, good man – good doctor. You know, some beautiful suits, cloths and instruments are left after him. If you like I can give you some of this to you, the Germans will not know a thing. A strange incident occurred yesterday in Serczk – I am sitting on the edge of the ditch, full to the top of dead bodies. I am on guard. Suddenly I hear a child’s voice calling Tate, Tate. I approach nearer and what do I see? From the pile of bodies a young boy gets out. Not even wounded, but you should have seen his face. I dragged him out of the ditch and gave it to him into the chest with my bayonet.” His face is quite jolly, even smiling. Then he asked me – “You must be happy in Poland now, having all the power. Are you glad to get rid of all the Jews?”
I got up and left not giving him an answer. He got his answer 6 weeks later, together with 30 of his colleagues, 9 shots to per head.
Four months after the “great Polish…” Jan Pruszynski received a full report of the massacre in Wysock. He ordered his brigade to surround the station of Helki. Twelve “schwabs” (Germans) were lead out. Not young, between 45 – 69. Pruszynsk ordered, “Comrades, start digging the ditch.” Like obedient children that followed his order and shivering undressed themselves. And here they failed their tests. Their victims before them were quiet and calm, while they, with all their medals, swastikas and big stomachs, started to cry bitterly and beg for mercy. “Poland is good, the Poles are good, Stalin good, Hitler no good – Hitler Kaput!”
Pruszynski does not understand any German. But with a smile opens his pistol, then he calmly says to us, “We have not enough bread to last us through the winter.” Well, no more Jews. Final solution. Now the German turned to torture the Ukrainians and the Poles.
The small village is called Stare Siolo, next to Stolina. In this quiet picturesque place, among forests live Ukrainians and a few Polish families. Adjacent to it is a village Budi Wojtkiewice occupied by Poles mainly. There is a priest, a teacher, a few families of ex-professional soldiers. They lead a quiet life, but a double life. During the day there is the Power of the Germans at night they are eagerly awaiting visits from partisans. There is food and vodka prepared for them, sometimes even music. Eventually the German ordered them into one Orthodox Church and set it on fire. Some 860 people perished there. Terrible sadness blows now with winds from the forests. Sadness and fear at the sight of the empty huts and buildings, at the sight of homeless cats and dogs running around.
Did the world come to an end? As I drove around I saw nothing but crosses and graves. These villages gave large numbers of partisans to fight the enemies. Their sons and daughters are now all dead. In the springs of 1943 the Germans took different methods to annihilate the Poles. They hand over the job to the Ukrainians, who were only too willing to oblige. A mass murder of Poles begins, and Polish blood is flowing. Hundreds of kilometers of towns and villages are wiped out. A Curious incident is happening. Same as Jews tried to convert, so now the Poles are trying to change to Protestant religion, they grow beards and talk only in the Ukrainian language. But to no avail. The slaughter continues.
Comrades in arms! Grab any kind of weapon and join us to revenge the enemy. Join the Partisans. Remember! Fascism killed your families, robbed you of your homes. Death to Fascism!
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs Rony Bognar