Victims of KL Stutthof

World War II, its outbreak and the course of the next six years, is the accumulation of tragedy among millions. They played primarily in Europe.

But Asia and North Africa besides witnessed these tragic events. In its course, as never before before, the German 3rd Reich led actions towards the planned, pragmatically prepared and carried out extermination of full nations. It was an component of state ideology. The first group to experience this policy was the judaic people. The culmination of these actions – from a legal point of view was the "Norymber Laws", which deprived German citizens of all civil, economical and cultural rights. But Nazi plans besides supply for extermination for another national groups. National elimination plans were besides planned for Slavs. In this case the first strike was directed at the Polish nation. Since the outbreak of the war on 1 September 1939, German troops have not spared civilians.

A peculiarly dangerous situation in this respect prevailed in the Free City of Gdańsk. This is where the attack on the military transit facility on Westerplatte began planet War II. It was this place that was recognized by the past of planet War II as the place where it began. But not only did this tiny tip at the mouth of the Vistula to the Baltic take the first strike. During the first day of the war, Polish Post Office employees defended themselves. In parallel to military actions in W.M. Gdańsk, German authorities arrested many Poles: teachers, priests, officials and Polish activists. They were held in Victoria Schule, from where they were transported to the Wiślana mine on the following day – 2 September 1939. Stutthof concentration camp (Art.). In the camp, a "uncertain political element" from all over the Pomeranian region was planted. These activities were part of the large-scale and conducted throughout the territory of the II Republic of Poland, the alleged "AB Action". It had in its intention the elimination of this part of society, which, having circumstantial cognition and authority, could lead the forces of the nation to fight the occupier. Therefore, among the victims of these actions, which were clearly exterminating were representatives of the layers of intelligence, teachers, officials of various levels, journalists, priests. 1 of the most eloquent examples of this policy has been the imprisonment of professors of the Jagiellonian University, who were trapped and transported to concentration camps by trick “brought” to the university hall.

In the Free City of Gdańsk, Poles, despite the advantage of the German population, were very well organized. They have created many social, cultural, educational, political and economical organizations. Among the Polish youth, the Polish Scouting Association was very active. It should besides be stressed that priests from 2 Polish parishes played a immense function in this patriotic work. The first was Blessed Fr Franciszek Rogaczewski from the parish of Christ the King in Siedlce who was besides the builder of this church. Second Blessed Fr Bronisław Komorowski – parish priest of St. Stanislaus Parish in Wrzeszcz. The 3rd priest in this field was Blessed Fr Marian Górecki, admin of the M.B. Częstochowa chapel in Nowy Port, which besides served as a pastoral service among young people and the educational group of the Polish School of Schools in Gdańsk.

Of course, the list of lay people of these more and little known and active in this patriotic work is very long. It is worth mentioning here even a character Professor Kazimierz Wiłkomirski, composer, cellist and conductor. In 1934 he became head of the Polish Conservatory of Music. The overarching nonsubjective of all these projects – which is worth highlighting – was to carry out coherent and consistent activities. This primary nonsubjective was included in the program of the Union of Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk prepared in 1934 in the words:

"Since June 1933, the Union of Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk has been active in Gdańsk, which in the programme published in 1934 considered the unification of all Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk to be the main goal regardless of religion and origin. He was to fight for the good of the country and in defence of the Polish language and Polish school and for equality with the German population. The activists of the Union of Poles independently organized social welfare, helped in the search for employment for the unemployed".

The war destiny of these activists of Gdańsk Polonia is devoted to the publication of the Stutthof Museum in Sztutów by Dr. Danuta Drywa. Since the beginning of her professional and technological work, the author has been active with Museum of the German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp Stutthof in Sztutów. He has many books and articles in his account. 1 of its last is simply a book resembling the activity of the Polish diplomatic mission in Bern and the alleged “Ladosia group” in rescuing Jews.

The work presented here is simply a collection of accounts and letters concerning 2 executions carried out in Poles – residents of W.M. Gdańsk prisoners of Stutthof camp. They were made in the forests surrounding the camp. The first was carried out on 11 January 1940, the second on 22 March that year. The executions were the execution of a judgement given by the Police Ad hoc Court (Standtgericht) announced in January 1940. The proceedings of this ‘court’ took place at the Stutthof camp and were held in the presence of the commandant Max Paulie. A full of 89 people were executed in both executions, of which 22 were executed in the first 1 on 11 January 1940.

It was peculiarly eloquent on 22 March 1940. It was Good Friday. And on that day, 2 of the 3 priests were shot in the group – Blessed Fr Komorowski and Blessed Fr Górecki. The 3rd of the Polish priests was already lost in the first January execution. In her book, the author quoted memories of erstwhile prisoners of the camp, witnesses of these events. They all agree that 2 groups of prisoners were isolated in the days before the execution of the judgment. They formed the Criminal Company (Strafcompanies). These prisoners were subjected to highly dense harassment – hard work, hunger, murderous physical exercise. The author described these events in the chapter It was we who became faithful to Poland, And I will return the faithful to the Fathers of the fire... (Executions 11 January 1940 and 22 March 1940).

In the second part of this specific, describing the tragic destiny of Poles from Gdańsk in KL Stutthof of the monograph, there were preserved lists of prisoners who lost their lives in these 2 executions. The most many group is correspondence Witold Nełkowski. Their publication was given a common title – ...We have besides experienced happy days that are besides precious... (camp lists Witold Nełkowski) (pp. 27-61). The publication of their content, as in another cases, precedes the biogram describing the activity of W. Nełkowski with peculiar attention to his work in W.M. Gdańsk. Here, too, is his image photo. Illustration page is supplemented by photocopies of the prisoner's correspondence with his wife from November to 26 December 1939. After that date, the correspondence stops. Having no message from Mrs. Nełkowska's husband afraid about the deficiency of news, she directed questions about his destiny to various German institutions. all authoritative consequence was evasive. The Germans tried to hide the fact of the execution. They besides acted likewise in the case of the second, March execution. frequently after 2 or 3 years, families learned about the destiny of their relatives. And in the case of W. Nełkowski, only after the war exhumation confirmed the destiny of the prisoner.

For the another 2 persons whose destiny is described in this publication, it is only authoritative correspondence between German families and offices and concentration camps. Here, too, the answers of the German side are evasive. These relations concern Bernard Filarski, who died in execution on Friday 22 March 1940. On that day besides lost Leona v. Trzebiatowski. In their case, a rich photographic documentation taken from household archives was published. Regarding this part of the publication, it should be noted that letters from the camp and authoritative writings were written in German. All papers and letters for publication have been translated.

At this point, we can besides ask why these 2 were chosen in this publication from the long six-year period of KL Stutthof. After all, people died all day in camp reality. As it seems, the most crucial argument for their choice was the fact that both were conducted on the most prominent representatives of the Gdańsk Polonia. If we look at their professional activities, it turns out that the vast majority of them performed crucial functions in institutions operating in the territory of W.M. Gdańsk, which had the position of the Polish Republic's agendas. In addition, almost everyone was active in Polish social activity. due to both these conditions, they had a certain impact on the Polish environment. They were so a real “threat” for Germans not only in the city but besides throughout Pomerania. Their annihilation was so perfectly in line with the extermination policy of III A mass of layers of intelligence that could lead the fight against the occupier.

The prepared publication is simply a document. In addition to the preliminary part discussing the location of Poles surviving in W.M. Gdańsk, there is the second part of the historical sketch. The author described the circumstances of both executions. The text was covered with rich photographic material, which perfectly approximates the described characters. In this case, there is only 1 charge. Well, the author does not state the origin of their origin. Therefore, we do not know whether they are in possession of the Stutthof Museum Archives or were made available by the families of erstwhile prisoners. Similarly, the case is presented with quotes of prisoners' memories – witnesses of events of January and March 1940. They were most likely taken from the museum archive. However, it would be worth it if not in all photograph and document, it is on the method website of this publication.

So do the above comments diminish the value of this publication? It is absolutely not. The book is an highly valuable material to paper the past of these tragic events. In general historical awareness it is not always remembered that the Stutthof concentration camp "opened its doors" already on September 2, 1939. At the time, camp barracks did not exist, and the first prisoners were "accommodation" in military tents. Only in the literal sense of the word did they build the camp from scratch.

It is besides worth reminding that it was 1 of the last liberated camps – 9 May 1945. Recalling these facts is not about creating any unhealthy rivalry. This is not the goal of shaping historical awareness. The awareness of these temporal cesurias and the historical location of these events, as well as their course, besides in this book, fits perfectly into the context of responses to the plots in a negative context of the slogan "Grandfather in Wehrmacht". specified publications are among another things an effort to overthrow this false historical myth, which for the Pomeranian community (because it concerns not only the inhabitants of W.M. Gdańsk) is highly hurtful, painful and unjust. I hope there's more of them. Then possibly this misconception of the past of the Polish-Cashubs from Pomerania will change.

Andrzej Kotecki

Danuta Dria, “Our Polish Mother... Crime in Poles from the Free City of Gdansk in Stutthof camp in 1940”, Stutthof Museum in Sztutów, Sztutowo 2023, p. 90.

Think Poland, No. 51-52 (17-24.12.2023)