Calendar card: Attack on Franz Kutschera - 80th anniversary

Franz Kutschera took his position on 25 September 1943. He immediately applied unprecedented panic to civilians. At the beginning of October 1943, which was at the head of the General Government, Hans Frank issued a decree on penalties that would be imposed on Poles for killing all German. Kutschera began to comply urgently with the superior's recommendations. Almost all day there were grabs, executions began on the street.

conviction to Kutschera

The management of the Underground Combat initially could not find by name who was the head of the SS and the Warsaw territory police. Kutscher, for fear of Polish intelligence, did not publically disclose his data. The announcements were signed as “The SS and police commander at the Warsaw District”. The National Army came after him by accident. 1 day the head of the "Agat" branch's intelligence cell, Aleksander Kunicki, ps. Rayski, noted that an officer brought in a limousine to the SS headquarters, located in a palace on 23 Ujazdowski Avenues, carries general distinctions. From that day on, German reflection began. It has been established that he lives on Rose Avenue and bears the name Kutscher. An order was given to execute the sentence.

- I was driving the car that stopped Kutschery's car - said Michał Issayevich in the broadcast. - The flight gave a signal, was repeated by another linker, ps. Hank. I moved, at the same minute he ran to Kutschera Lot's car.

A Unique Witness

The bomber recalled in the broadcast an extraordinary gathering that happened after the war, erstwhile he brought his vacuum cleaner to repair. Then he heard, "I saw you in that action. I was 17 at the time. My father was a smoker in the boiler room, in the SS headquarters, and as a young boy, I helped him. And I saw Kutschera perfectly after he was killed. I had to wash his uniform, and I washed him before putting him in a coffin." Issaevich asked the craftsmen about the wounds he saw on Kutschera's body. "When I saw him, he had only 1 gap in his eye" - he heard in response.

Medical assistance

Jerzy Swalski besides presented in the broadcast the memoirs of prof. Stefan Grudziński, ps. Bogdan, who took part in the reflection of 2 colleagues injured during the assassination of Kutschera. They were transported by the Germans to the infirmary of the Transfiguration in Prague. The wounded were under the defender of the navy police, which was easy to scare," he said. - We got them out of there.

Grudziński besides stated: "I had no thought what was going on. There was a very strict conspiracy. The action was developed by “Rayski” and his team. The execution of the action was entrusted to 1st platoon under Lot, or Bronek Pietraszewicz. The squad counted 9 people, erstwhile performers and erstwhile drivers - he recalled.

- There's a phase to plan each action that can be predicted, that can be planned. And at the minute erstwhile the conviction is carried out, it is all in God's hands, due to the fact that it is impossible to foretell the circumstances that will happen afterwards - explained Grudziński.

The Death of Heroes

As a consequence of Franz Kutscher's action, he died. 4 Germans were killed with him, and 9 were injured. Unfortunately, there were no casualties on the Polish side. Bronisław Pietraszewicz-Lot died from gunshot wounds to the abdomen. A akin destiny happened to Marian Senger-Silence.
“Who did we take the blood from?” asked rhetorically prof. Stefan Wesołowski, who took care of Lot at the Volski Hospital. - The blood was given to Wenceslas Dunin-Karwicki, a student of secret medicine. We put him in the tuberculosis ward.

Zbigniew Gęsicki and Kazimierz Sott, who returned to the assembly site after carrying injured colleagues to the hospital, were attacked by the Germans. - I found out they were ambushed at the Kierbedzia Bridge - said Sister Krystyna Gęsicka- And that's where they decided to jump to the Vistula. They were shot and killed.

“Zbyszek’s parent was desperate, but she could even comfort me,” said Bożena Żybułtowska-Gołaszewska, Gęsicki’s fiancée. In her beautiful eyes, so akin to Zbyszek, you could see tears that did not flow down her cheeks. They seemed to flow consecutive to the heart.

Revenge and memory

In retaliation, Germany imposed PLN 100 million on Warsaw. On the day after the bombing, on February 2, 1944, 100 hostages were shot in Ujazdowskie Avenue 21, close the site. It was 1 of the last public executions before the Warsaw Uprising.

To this day, a mass is celebrated in the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw for the victims of the assassination. - On 1 February we meet at the stone in Al. Ujazdowskie, where the action took place - said Halina Karwicka-Rakokczy, ps. Janina Lutowa. - We light candles, put flowers and pray. We besides go to the bridge, throw a white-red bundle to the Vistula River, pray and go to the cemetery where they are buried: Bronek Pietraszewicz-Lot and Silent-Marian Senger.

for: polskieradio.pl