European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

Well, I had known Natka for a long time, since our childhood.

Stefan worked a little bit, but he had no idea how to work in the countryside.

He was a city person, a journalist,

so he had no clue, but obviously he was trying to do something, tried to help.

The wages were not as good as during the Soviets times,

we had to do anything, load the wood for the Germans, offer help by lending the horse, carriage and a worker.

So we did not make any money.

We had to steal wood from our own forest,

some dry trees we used to cut down and take to Vilnius where we sold it to make some money.

Beginning of the German-Soviet war, hiding refugees

I went to one household, where a worker was – Mr. Joseph – he had a home farm as he got married with a rich lady Lachowiczówna.

They took care of me and again I had a place to live.

I helped Mrs. Lechowiczówna in the garden.

After three, maybe four days we heard bombarding as if from Vilnius.

Nobody wanted to leave this farm house as everyone was scared and did not know what the Soviets would do.

and we could hear boom, boom, boom, the noise from tanks and armoured vehicles.

This farm house was situated between two main routes - one leading to the east, and the Batory`s route.

We could see that both routes were filled by the army.