Searches were regularly carried out on the train twice a day, and although
99 per cent of [6] the travellers were smugglers, the smuggling did not diminish
despite the enormous terror. Because of the enormous smuggling traffic,
for which neither the Germans nor the Polish police could find a solution,
rumours circulated that all communication with the civil population would
be stopped. This had been expected to happen from the 1st [June], but meanwhile
it remained as it was.
On the train, a shikse from the Kielce area communicated certain details
about the Służba Budowlana,⁵⁴⁹ which recruits Polish youth. It was a forced-labour
organisation for Poles (a similar organization existed in Poland under
the name of Junacy). Polish men aged between 18 and 40 were recruited into the
organization. The woman’s brother was kidnapped by a detachment of the SB
and works in a quarry not far from his birthplace. The work is very hard and
the overseers don’t indulge them. Living conditions are difficult. Everyone
is given from 150 to 200 grams of bread a day, black coffee, and two soups,
for a midday meal and supper, and one zloty in cash a day. [7] The Poles
were not at all content with the substandard rations and protested. At that
point, the Germans warned them that if they did not stop grumbling and
return to work in earnest, they would consider it a revolt and they would be
shown the consequences! The shikse added that if her brother had not been
able to return home from time to time and to eat well (eggs, butter, bread, etc.),
he would have seen his end long ago. No one knew how long their service in
the S.B. would last. It could last half a year, it could last longer. It is interesting
that huge placards were posted all over that district in all public places
exhorting Polish youth to sign up voluntarily in the S.B. They were promised
good food, good living conditions, and a good salary. The shikse painted an
accurate picture of what was the reality.
Whenever one travels by train, one constantly sees fast trains packed
with Ukrainians, men and women, who are being sent away for work in
Germany. [8] They are mainly peasants and workers from the Kiev area,
seized with brute force from their beds. They are transported exclusively in
towarowe⁵⁵⁰ cars. Through the tiny barred windows, one can see dark faces,
549 (Polish, in Latin characters) Construction Service (German: Baudienst). The abbreviation of the Polish name, S.B. is used further on in the text.
550 (Polish) freight [cars].
