European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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This was war, the invader was uncompromising,
This was war, the invader was uncompromising,
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a great many people were dying.
a great many people were dying.
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In concentration camps, in the streets.
In concentration camps, in the streets.
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Many people were arrested.
Many people were arrested.
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And once we knew who was to blame for that, then this somebody had to be liquidated immediately.
And once we knew who was to blame for that, then this somebody had to be liquidated immediately.
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Tadeusz’s first serious action
Tadeusz’s first serious action
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The head was this socialist poet, Mr ‘Hagen’ was his pseudonym.
The head was this socialist poet, Mr ‘Hagen’ was his pseudonym.
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We called him ‘Robert’.
We called him ‘Robert’.
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I guess he was the commander of the group. So he praised me a lot and asked if I wanted to go for a real sabotage job.
I guess he was the commander of the group.
So he praised me a lot and asked if I wanted to go for a real sabotage job. -
I, naturally, said yes.
I, naturally, said yes.
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‘Then please wait for further orders.
‘Then please wait for further orders.
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And when time comes and the weather is dark enough, then we’ll do a job under the Poniatowski bridge.’
And when time comes and the weather is dark enough, then we’ll do a job under the Poniatowski bridge.’
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Later I asked my brother Jerzy what kind of action it was supposed to be.
Later I asked my brother Jerzy what kind of action it was supposed to be.
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He replied, that the Germans kept police cars and other military trucks under the bridge.
He replied, that the Germans kept police cars and other military trucks under the bridge.
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And we were supposed to set them on fire.
And we were supposed to set them on fire.
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My brother says: ‘Listen, we’ve got this unpleasant situation, I have this present for you.
My brother says: ‘Listen, we’ve got this unpleasant situation, I have this present for you.
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In case they catch you and beat the hell out of you, or they massacre you too much so you can’t stand it anymore,
In case they catch you and beat the hell out of you, or they massacre you too much so you can’t stand it anymore,
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then here is this vial, a small glass bottle…’ – it looked like an injection vial – ‘…just bite it.’
then here is this vial, a small glass bottle…’ – it looked like an injection vial – ‘…just bite it.’
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I tell him: ‘Don’t be silly, I’ll get cuts.’
I tell him: ‘Don’t be silly, I’ll get cuts.’
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And he: ‘It won’t matter to you anyway, as soon as you bite it you die.’ It was cyanide.
And he: ‘It won’t matter to you anyway, as soon as you bite it you die.’ It was cyanide.