Camp registerof Soviet POWs - memories

The day was especially cold as for the beginning of October. What is more, it was raining. Typical foul autumn weather. (...) I was in a disinfection group. (...) The just drove in Russian POWs were standing close to each other, right behind the last building on the camp meadow fenced temporarily, with guard towers protruding on the corners. Numerous SS men, kapos and block supervisors were rushing off their feet in this crowd that was arranged in the rows of fives with help of butts and thick sticks. (...) Silently, they would take off their soaking wet clothes in obedience, throwing them on a big pile, which grew rapidly. They kept only those sheet metal numbers, hanging on their breasts. They were hungry, skinny, cold and incredibly dirty.

Cut by camp hairdressers, they would approach a barrel dug in the ground, one after the other. The barrel was filled with water mixed with a disinfection agent. The naked POWs, trembling with cold, needed to undergo this forced bath. Each of them was obliged to immerse, together with their heads, in this cold and stinky liquid, which became thick as mud within the course of this procedure. Anyone who shuddered would simply hurt more. The SDG [an SS man from sanitary service] standing next to them watched carefully for the disinfection to take place in a proper way. He kept a prisoner's head with his shoe until the gurgling sound came from the barrel's interior, and bubbles of air appeared on the surface. After such an experience, a half-suffocated and scared POW jumped out of the barrel, if he had any strength left to do this. Some needed to be taken out, they were so weak.

Wiesław Kielar (No 290)

Around 2.10.1941, a group of 25 prisoners was selected. These prisoners knew German and Russian languages. The choice was made through some kind of an exam in both languages. We were hired in an office, which dealt with recording the Soviet POWs (Aufnamekommando). I worked in this commando unit from October 1941 to January 1942. Our Kommandoführer was SS-UnterScharführer Stark, and the offices were located on the ground floor, in the block No 24.

            The first transport of Soviet POWs arrived on 7.10.1941, and included about 2000 prisoners. The moment, when they arrived and were unloaded, has engraved in my memory. In the evening, we were brought to the ramp behind the camp, where we saw a train composed of cargo cars, with people inside, screaming to us in Russian. The SS men separated us and allocated along the train, in such a manner that one prisoner stood in the middle of two cars. Afterwards, we were commended to interpret the orders into Russian. In the reflector lights, the cars were opened and the prisoners were driven out of them. We saw terribly haggard and apparently starved people. They were very weak. They looked like skeletons. (…)

There were also big pots with camp soup standing at the train. Most of the prisoners did not get to eat that soup, as after being given a mess tin, they were beaten, they would jump away from the pots and run straightforward, coming from the brightly lit circle into the darkness. Many of them got into an embankment, spilling the soup while falling down. Having entered the camp, they were located in a fenced areas, in the block No 23.

The following day we came down to the ground floor of the block No 24, where our Schreibstube was located. We would seat at tables and record the POWs, who queued in front of us. (...) While registering them, we wrote according to German phonetic rules. The work lasted from the morning till the evening, throughout the October, November and the beginning of December. (...) The following prisoners worked with me at recording the POWs: Ludwik Rajewski, attorney Władysław Branicki, Czapiński, Zygmunt Stepanek, Józef Rucki, Józef Klink, Władysław Koliński, Józef Kowalski. Our Stubendienst was Bogdan Komornicki, who also managed our work.

There were another two or three transports after that first one. We finished that job on 13.01.1942. The files that we kept were handed to the office, which dealt with general records of the prisoners in the camp (Aufnahmekommando) at the Political Department.

Józef Kret (No 20020)

The first Soviet POWs came to the camp on 7.10.1941. It was a very cold and rainy day. They were unloaded from the cars on the Holzplatz, stripped naked, and their belongings were allegedly taken away for disinfection, leaving them only with their shoes. Having been cut, they were bathed in cold water with lysol, in a big metal tub. Afterwards, in groups of several dozens of people, they were driven like cattle, screaming, beaten with whips and cowhides. They only had shoes on their bare feet, and Stalag metal number plates on their necks. All POWs were terribly skinny and cold. The weakened and sick were led at the end of each group. They were beaten mostly by the SS men.

            Majority of them were young, between 19 and 35 years of age, which is typical for soldiers. A new group of people was driven every dozen or so minutes, and the blocks were filled with them. It was forbidden to leave the blocks on their own. It lasted continuously for three days, from 7 to 9 October. (…)

            Registration of the POWs started in the afternoon on 7.10.1941, on the ground floor office rooms of the block No 24. It was performed by especially trained prisoners, about 30 individuals. The POWs were brought in groups including up to a few dozens of people, through the blocks. They were recorded and registered there, handed with new numbers, starting from 1. Because they were completely naked, it was decided to abandon the attachment of sewn numbers. Therefore, new numbers were written with a copy pencil on their wetted skin of chest. Such numbers were impermanent, so they needed to be renewed during everyday revisions in the blocks. Numerous mistakes were made while doing it. (...) Later, these prisoners were numbered through a tattoo made with a special machine on the chest skin. (…)

            There were essentially two documents filed in during registration of the POWs. At first, there were Record sheets prepared, cream-colour A6 pieces of paper (so called Aufnahmebefund). Afterwards, the prisoners were sent to the next room, where a complex military A4 form was filled in, celadon in colour.

            Admissions of new transports and registrations took place for four days.

Kazimierz Hałgas (No 5670)