We stayed in Jeżów for 2 days. After that time, they loaded us onto big
trucks and drove to Pabianice.
When we arrived in Pabianice, they locked us up in Kindler’s factory.⁸⁰³
We were not permitted to go out into the yard. One of the bitterest problems
was not being allowed to go out into the yard to relieve ourselves. From a party
of several thousand men, only a group of 15 people was permitted to go out.
When one group returned, another group of 15 people went, and it continued
like this. The people therefore relieved themselves into their caps or hats and
gave them to the 15 Jews, who [12] were fortunate to go out.
In Pabianice, Jews were photographed many times in various laughable
poses. The Jews were mocked, pointed at: These are the “heroes” who went to
fight the brave German army.
We spent 36 hours in the Pabianice camp. From there, we were taken to
Sieradz. In Sieradz, we were brought into the prison yard. Assembled in the
yard were about 10,000 Poles. A German officer arrived, who held a speech
for the Poles in a beautiful Polish. He announced that the Jews alone were to
blame for all the misfortunes from which the Poles were suffering. Poland
had lost its independence because of Jewish war incitement. Germany has
nothing against Poland; if not for the Jews it would not have come to a war
with Poland. The relations with Poland had been the best, but the Jews ruined
them; therefore, one must get even with the Jews. The officer’s speech had fatal
consequences. The roused Poles threw themselves at the Jews and beat them
savagely. It was simply a pogrom. Not a single Jew remained unscathed, without
getting bloodied. In the prison buildings around the yard, many Polish
prisoners were interned, among them many officers. Some of them began
to incite the attackers with various exclamations through the tiny prison
windows. [13] This encouraged the attackers, who intensified their activity.
Upon seeing this, other officers started to shout at the attackers, “Stop!
This is a disgrace for Poles! The Jews are our brothers!” and similar proclamations.
Those utterances encouraged the Jewish doctors and lawyers, who
turned to the attackers and explained to them what a crime they were committing.
This had an effect, they stopped the combat, and only thanks to that
803 The R. Kindler joint-stock company’s semi-woollen textile factory at Zamkowa Street 31; see Księga adresowa Polski (wraz z W. M. Gdańskiem) dla handlu, przemysłu, rzemiosł i rolnictwa 1929, Bydgoszcz 1929, p. 962.
