How the residents of Szubin helped to allied POWs part 2.

The below text is the continuation from the first part of the article by Czesław Sobecki published in Gazeta Pomorska. This second part was published a week later in the weekend issue (1/24-25/1970).

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Planning to escape, Bryks and his colleagues also have thought about civil clothing and documents. Civilian clothes, as well as black paint necessary for the "modification" of uniforms into civilian clothes, were provided by Poles. Jachalski gave his camera, which the future escapees used to take the passport photos. Films were developed at Henryk Szalczyński's. He also has made the prints. The forms necessary for identity documents (the so-called Kennkarte) were reportedly provided by Ignacy Kowankowski who worked in the Municipal Office. Erdmann secured Nazi revenue stamps, rubber stamps were forged by the POWs themselves, who, as rumors say, have arranged a makeshift printing house in the camp.

From the story told by Jachalski and Erdmann, we learned that the person who used to provide permanent assistance to English prisoners, and who was Bryks' liaison officer, was a saleswoman of the colonial shop Stefania Maludzińska (now Rakoczy). Miss Stefania used to contact Bryks, among others, via a 14-year-old Stefan Frankiewicz, who as a trained tinsmith-fitter was also employed in the POW camp.

– I often carried them food from the city and civilian clothing – tells Stefan Frankiewicz (who currently lives in Bydgoszcz). I have contacted mainly the Czech major in the RAF uniform. He asked me to deliver shovels, "lineman's pliers" and other tools that I had provided for him. They needed these tools to dig the tunnel. He also confided me in the plans of escape and shortly before it he asked for maps of Germany and Poland. The place of our meetings (about which did not know even my older companion Wilhelm Musialik) was a boiler room. Also, a farewell to the nice Czech and his English colleagues took place there. We exchanged commemorative post stamps. They warmly thanked me for help. I also received several photos with the signatures and addresses of my friends from the camp. I remember that one of them was called John. We said goodbye with tears in our eyes, promising ourselves that after the victory we will write to each other...

It is time for the account of Stefania Rakoczy (née Maludzińska). As already mentioned, she worked in a colonial shop owned by German, Guenter Jeschke, and she was the first who learned the real name of the Czech major. – I got to know him by letter – through his friend – recalls Ms. Stefania – The latter often used to come to our store for stuff and when he learned that I was a Pole one day he brought a letter written in Polish. The author of the letter was Major Bryks. When we got to know each other better and when the mutual trust between us strengthened, he asked me to rent a camera (as is known Ms. Stefania obtained it from Jachalski). Later, he introduced me to the details of the planned escape. If I remember correctly, it took place at the beginning of March 1943.

This is confirmed by our previous interviewees, although none of them can give an exact date. No wonder, more than 26 years have passed since then. Time must have worn it away - sighed Mrs. Stefania, whom we visited in Toruń, in her bright, fresh-smelling fresh apartment at Jaroczyński Street.

– You ask me how did the escape go? – Well, quite prosaically. Bryks and his friend, an Englishman, left the camp in the morning or at noon in the sewage wagon. Later at night, 45 prisoners of war escaped through the tunnel, which was number of POWs occupying one barrack. As I remember, Bryks and his friend were taken out from the camp by Franciszek Lewandowski. First, they came to my parents' apartment, from where I led them to the Lewandowski's...

So we are looking for Franciszek Lewandowski. Unfortunately, he lives in Zielona Góra, but his cousin Kazimierz lives in Szubin at Nakielska Street. From him, therefore, we learn the fate of the brave Major Bryks and his companions.

– Together with my brother Stanisław and cousin Franciszek, we worked as a farmhand on the Szubin-Wieś estate – Kazimierz Lewandowski began his story – The manager, or in German "Der Treuhänder", was the German named Widerher. Twice a week, we went to the POW camp for a "slurry" from the latrines and toilets. I do not remember exactly from whom, but it seems to me that from Stefa Maludzińska, I've learned that the Czech in English uniform and his colleagues want to escape. We're supposed to help them because Bryks and one of his buddies got the idea to get off in the honey wagon...

According to the original caption on this photograph are the three escapees described in the article. from left: unknown Yugoslavian, Maj. Józef Bryks and presumably the Englishman John Moritz.

I remember that Franek went there with a sewage wagon on Friday, uncoupled his horses, and left the wagon in the camp. He did so because, because the hole through which the slurry was poured into the tanker, was too small and Bryks, who was a sturdy man, could not squeeze through it. Franek said the guards that because there is not enough of liquid manure, he will come back for the honey wagon in two days. In the meantime, Bryks and the Englishman, whose name was, I guess, John Moritz, enlarged the hole and two days later (it was probably on March 4, 1943) they left the camp without any problems. At night, their colleagues escaped through the tunnel.

One of them (he was a Yugoslavian), came to my cousin Tadeusz Lewandowski's apartment. Krawański brought them there. Bryks and Moritz, who had beforehand stopped for an hour at the Maludziński's, were already there. We gave them a warm supper and civil hats. At night, we led them out to the cowshed and "buried" in the hay. They stayed there for over a week. Then, when the danger had passed, we placed them in an empty barn that previously had been thoroughly searched by Nazi gendarmes. We secretly provided them with food there. Stefania Maludzińska and now deceased Marianna Budziak did it too.

The Nazis were unable to capture Bryks and his companions. Relatively easier they captured the remaining escapees. They escaped only to facilitate the task of Bryks and his companions. Only those three seriously thought about escaping. The rest escaped only seemingly.

What happened to Bryks and his two companions?

From the further accounts of Kazimierz Lewandowski and Stefania Rakoczy, we learn that two escapees (provided with food, maps, and documents) left their hiding place on March 28 and by a freight train (Polish train drivers were in whom they would transport) to Bydgoszcz, and from there to the General Government. They were Bryks and the unknown Yugoslavian who wanted to escape to the east.

The third fugitive, the Englishman John Moritz, sprained his leg while escape. He fell into the hands of the Germans near Wieszki, right at the edge of the forest. At the gendarmerie post when interrogated, he made up a story that he was waiting for a British plane that would take him to Great Britain.  – My two colleagues are already there – he said boldly to the Germans.

Meanwhile, Bryks and his Yugoslavian colleague were already in Warsaw, from where they sent letters to their friends in Szubin. Both escapees managed to make contact with the resistance and took part in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The Yugoslavian died during the uprising. Major Bryks was taken a prisoner for the third time and was held in the camp near Królewiec. He sent several letters to Stefania Maludzińska and Tadeusz Lewandowski from there. After the liberation, he returned to his homeland. His recent address is Maj. Józef Bryks, Olomunc, Musejni Street.

It is difficult to say if the other prisoners of war of POW camp in Szubin are still alive and where do they live. It is worth mentioning that for a short time there were among them also Polish airmen fighting along with their British brothers-in-arms. One of them was Henryk Skalski (prisoner No. 3749) who currently resides in Great Britain.

Among other British prisoners of war held in the Szubin camp worth of mentioning is Peter Thomas, the former Undersecretary of the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This pilot, who together with his Polish colleagues took part in the famous Battle of Britain was met several years ago in London by the chairman of the board of the Provincial National Council in Bydgoszcz – Aleksander Schmidt. Sir Peter Thomas was shot down over the Third Reich and in 1942 he was sent to POW camp in Szubin. He exactly remembered details of the famous escape from March 1943, in which presumably he took part escaping "as a decoy".

In Texas (USA), lives the former prisoner of war of the camp in Szubin - Amon Carter (junior). To this day, he maintains a cordial contact with a resident of Szubin, Mrs. Prakseda Lewicka (during the occupation she was named Napierała), who helped his friend escaping from the camp. In 1956 Major Amon Carter together with his wife have visited the former POW camp in Szubin and he paid a brief visit to Mrs. Lewicka.

Stefania Rakoczy, among her dearest family memorabilia, stores photos of people she helped during the occupation. The special place among these memorabilia has thanks letter from to the commander-in-chief of the RAF, for the help given to the soldiers of the British Commonwealth during the World War II.

Mrs. Stefania also collaborated with the American POWs. One day one of the guards has noticed that she waved her hand to the Yankees. In July 1944 she was arrested and sentenced to 8 months in prison. The brave woman, however, escaped after two months of imprisonment and after many adventures (it would be worthwhile to write a separate article about it) to Bydgoszcz, and from there to ... Szubin, where - hiding with friends - luckily survived until the liberation.

Repressions of the occupant also affected the mother of Mrs. Stefania, who was sentenced to prison for three months for giving the prisoners of three rolls. Wilhelm Musialik received a similar kind of punishment when during searching of his apartment three English cigarettes were found. The Gestapo did not spare the 14-year-old Stefan Frankiewicz. During brutal questioning, Germans constantly threatened him with a whip. The brave boy did not break down and didn't give up his allied friends. From his story, however, it appears that he almost was broken.

Well, as we previously mentioned, he received from his friends from the camp several photos with autographs and addresses of the POWs. He carried these photos with him all the time, just under the pass to the camp, which he kept in the cellophane frame. During the interrogation, the Gestapo demanded a pass. Only then Frankiewicz realized that he forgot about the pictures hidden under the Ausweis. Fortunately, the Gestapo did not notice that there were pictures under the Ausweis and that there was no failure.

Mother of Frankiewicz, having learned from her son about this incident, burned all the pictures at night, depriving her son of precious, but very dangerous at that time, memorabilia. From those years only remained him a starry badge with the cross in the middle and the French inscription "Honi soit qui mal y pense" (a disgrace to one who thinks bad about it).

CZ. SOBECKI

PS. The author of the article realizes that his account is not full and has shortages. Desiring to complete this story and give a possibly full picture of the events from nearly 27 years ago, the author asks everyone who could provide information on Poles helping to the prisoners of Oflag XXIB in Szubin for a telephone contact or letter contact with the editor. By the way, author wishes to thank Comrade Hieronim Kaproń from the provincial committee of The Polish United Workers' Party for help in collecting the material for the article.

Copyright © for the Polish translation by Mariusz Winiecki