Szymon Srebrnik  

 Chelmno Survivor Testimony

Protocol of the Interrogation of the Witness

On June 29 1945 in Kolo

Examining Judge of District Court in Lodz – Wladyslaw Bednarz

Assisted by Recording Clerk

In the presence of the parties -   heard a testimony (not under oath) of the witness mentioned below. After the witness had been informed of criminal responsibility for a false testimony and acquainted with the text of article 106 of the Code of Penal Proceedings, he testified the following:

Up to March 1944 I had been in the Lodz ghetto, from where I was then driven off to Chelmno. In Lodz I worked in the ghetto in the so-called metal department.

In March 1944 the Germans organised a round-up. They caught me while I was on a street car and led me to Balucki Square where there were some cars from Chelmno. We were loaded inside and driven off.

Besides me there were 50 other Jews on the truck. Among them were Zydenfeld, Berek, Modownik, Kalmuszewicz, Huskiel. I cannot recall any other names.

The Germans took us a granary on the grounds of the Chelmno palace. There were no other Jews. We found out that we were in the Sonderkommando camp. An hour later the prisoners were divided into two groups. The stronger and better workers were sent to the woods, they formed the so-called “Waldkommando.”

The “Waldkommando” chief was Lenz. Other Germans employed in the woods were Runge and Kretschmer. The Hauskommando chief was Hafele.

Read the full story here: http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/survivor/srebrnik.html


The Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team

www.HolocaustResearchProject.org