Maria Stasz

"There is nothing really to say. It’s really nothing to be said. Nobody believes. I've never talked to anyone about it. Six girls were involved in my secret studying group. We had every single subject, even religious lesson. One priest used to come – no, it was not religious lesson, we called it ethics. We had every subject, like in a school. We had French lessons, not English lessons, just French. How did it look like? We visited a few apartments, no just one. No books. I have no idea how the teachers stored them. No matter how, the thing is, they taught us a lot. The high school exam took place in my friend’s house. I remembered it very well. (I will show you some snapshots; I have snapshots that commemorated this special day). There were six of us, and delegation from Kielce came. Not everyone could arrange that exam. The special supervisors’ group appeared from Kielce – delegation of the Underground Education System. I didn’t get any certificate or document, nothing. Teacher just had a speech: ‘In the name of the Republic of Poland…’- We were so proud! But it was not the end. It was 1941 and the headmaster Mrs. Cyranska said: ‘No my dear. I can’t let you go now. Now it’s your turn, you will start to teach.’ ‘Am I supposed to teach?’ – I asked her, to make sure. ‘Yes’ – she said. ‘We need people to teach, we need more teachers!’ Teachers were, sent into exile and executed in numbers. There weren’t enough people to secure permanent education for the young. I started to teach then and it went really well. Our previous teachers supervised us – new and young teachers. The inspections were made. The ‘old’ teachers used to visit our lessons and they watched us how we worked, what we were doing, and they just watched on the whole. They verified everything. But it was a really nice thing. Good time for me. I can’t say we were afraid of anything. Moreover, the Secret Teaching Organization took advantage of our activities. I distributed some small notes or folders. They often used to say- ‘You have to take it somewhere else’ – so we always took the staff. The significant is that I knew just people that I used to met, around me; I didn’t know who was on the top. We had that kind of tasks: Once, we were in my friend house in Garbatka. Before I got there, one of my friends said: “I want you to check it of Mr. X’. ‘How can I do this?’ – I asked. ‘Just search his coat and find what we need’ – informers answered. Or we had to follow somebody. ‘Follow him, watch him and find out what is his job’ – they often asked. I was exposed to danger all of the time".

"Going to the cinema was not allowed, not at all. Sometimes, if the film on was very simple or infantile it was announces in my school and we could watch it if we got permission. And what’s more teachers controlled us. They often came round to the cinema to check if any of us breaks the rules. If any student was caught red-handed, they pulled them out the cinema and punished. Nevertheless I have to admit now they were right, it was not so bad. I remember there were kind of lodges in the cinema (we don’t have them anymore) and that was a place where the couples used to hide. The teacher control wasn’t so bad, not at all. This is how we were brought-up. What else? Books. We read a lot. I kept in my mind one book. I can’t remember the author but the book was telling a story about a young Caucasus girl, about her adventures, her life. We all dreamed to experience what she did in her life! Besides, we all sighed for famous artists, always crazy in love! Every single girl had a secret sweetheart! It was so ease to get some artists photos. In a chocolate. You could buy a chocolate and some artists’ pictures were hidden inside! I was absolutely felt in love in Charles Boyer, I still keep a collection of photos. It’s so strange, that foolish trifles stood the test of time but important things were lost. However all of those small things are my memories as well. Some memories. We also had parties. Obviously mum or aunties always kept their eye on us. But nothing really big ever happened. I remember one game (What was a name of this?) The adults were very watchful about it! The matter of the game was to draw a lot with a name of a boy or a girl on it. After that the couple was entitled to go to another room. But nothing bad happened, even there! If the boy was brave enough he could give her a playful little kiss on the cheek. But that was all. It was just a game. We also played a game called „A tomato”. You must know it, it is well known even today. You must know it, all those things were so funny, so innocent. Everything we used to do in those days were and tasted different than it would be here and now".

"We spent many days in Brześć, waiting on the railway station, I can’t remember exactly how many days. My father was obligated to report to the soviet commander that we were there every day. The rest on the family, and me – we just sat on our bungles and all we could do was wait. Some other group of people camped next to us. My mum told me: ‘Stay here, don’t go near them, I saw some fleas’. One day my father went to make a report and the soviet commander did a lot for us. He told – ‘You need to disappear from this place. The Poles are supposed to be sent to exile, to Siberia. If you want to avoid it, you must leave this place immediately’. My dad was surprised and he asked – “How can we go if the frontier is closed?’. ‘There is a green frontier as well, isn’t it’ – the commander answered. After that my dad came to us and said – ‘Come on my dear ladies, get ready now. We had to find a guide. We need to find someone who was able to take us across the green frontier safely. The frontier went along Bug River. It was winter, frostily and cold. Finally we found some guides and we paid big money for this and they appropriate some jewelry as well. I can’t remember where we had money from – there were a few of us – my mum, my aunt, and my father. We agreed with the guide and we reached Małkinia, in the same day, in the evening (have a look on a map, you will find this place, Małkinia is not far from Brześć). We wandered in a darkness as we achieved Bug River banks. The banks were very high there. Ten people were with us. The guides leaded us down the banks where very narrow boats were already waiting. Deep winter, frostily and cold. Then we got on a boat in couples. I don’t remember who I went with. I just know when I went out the boat my pants were totally frozen! Someone told me to look after my grandma. (Yes, my grandma was there with us, I remember, and grandma was a holy person in a family).My brother and me took grandma's arm and leaded her from the boat to the land. We almost pulled her up in a snowstorm".