Michał Klemens

"We came to Poznan – it was dark, silent, the front, the war was still on, artillery was banging incredibly. At the Poznań management we waited for a bridge on the Noteć River for four days. When there was a bridge on the Noteć, the first train from Poznań to Wronki – and from Wronki to the border here, because it was the old border – there was only one track. There was no bridge, they made a bridge, and we came to Krzyż by that first train. We came to Krzyż at midnight and the Russkis received us and up to the station and we lied down there on the straw and we were lying there. In the morning, they walked us to the roundhouse at gunpoint and brought us back also at gunpoint. They did not let us into the town. They first looted the town, burnt it, and only when there was nothing left, they let us go to the town. As a bachelor, I said to myself: it can’t’ be helped, we need to rebuild our homeland. And I stayed here; I was working as an electrician, I worked, they needed such a man here. I was starting a hydroelectric power plant in Kamienna, 23 kilometres away from this place. And the power plant was operated by railwaymen until 1947. Then, the federation said: “Railwaymen, get out of here, because there is no railway station or tracks, there is nothing waiting for you.” And, in 1947, a large wagon came from Poznań, we packed our things and left for Krzyż."

"The railway started to rule here right away. The railwaymen were looking around to start something, and first of all the most important thing was to have electricity, because without electricity – no way, you can’t do anything. First, we had such a small power station at the sawmill, and, at the same time, some went to Kamienna to the hydroelectric power plant, to start it. The Russkis would have taken it away if they could, but they couldn’t, they couldn’t because it is 5.5 metres below. They couldn’t take it away from that place. Besides, it was flooded by the Germans. We had to drain the water and so on and so forth, and everything was taken to pieces again to start it again. And the power plant is working until the present day. But, back in 1947, railwaymen had to throw in the towel and go to Krzyż. Because the federation said: “Railwaymen, you have nothing here to look for, because there are no railway tracks, there is no railway station, you have nothing here to look for.”

"When I came here to Krzyż, I went out from Krótka Street – because I live in Krótka Street, near the station, the chemist’s was right next door, but already disarmed – and a Russki went out from that chemist’s and said: “Mister, have you got any moonshine?” I said: “Yes, I have.” “And I have gold.” ”You have gold?” “Yes, I have gold.” And I lived in Krótka Street and I still live there, and I had a pot without handle at home. Because the handle was painted like gold. He battered those handles and had them tied in his hand, a lot of handles. “Gold!” I say: “You, fool, it’s not gold!” He said: “You fool, you stupid fool, it’s gold!” He was going on a bike in Krzyż on wheel rims only, without tubes, without tyres, on the pavement on those rims! What a noise it was!"