Sikory-Tomkowięta: families shot and people in a burning cellar

Deception and separation of residents

The Germans surrounded the village and gathered residents under the pretext of a document check. Women and children were locked up, while men were forced to dig a pit. After plunder, the killing of successive groups began. [1]

Fire after the shootings

According to the reconstruction, five women and children locked in a cellar died in a burning house. The author considers it probable that the men were shot at the end, after being forced to watch the deaths of their relatives. We retain the degree of certainty about that sequence in the account. [1]

The list remains open

The analysis identifies additional probable victims, mainly the youngest children. We do not add numbers from successive parts of the narrative together, because they are not complete, disjoint lists. The deaths of entire families may have made their later composition more difficult to reconstruct. [1]

Limits of the findings

The count and sequence of parts of the execution remain uncertain. The article relies on Paweł Niziołek’s critical study, not on independently read files. [1]

Sources and notes

Footnote markers identify the basis for specific findings. Bibliographic records remain in their original language; the notes indicate how each source is used.

The bibliographic record and source-use note are retained in Polish to preserve the original scholarly citation.

1. Paweł Niziołek. Pacyfikacja Sikor-Tomkowiąt i Wnor-Wand w 1943 roku oraz upamiętnienie ofiar. IPN, Przystanek Historia; pierwodruk: Biuletyn IPN 9/2021.

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   Use of this source: Przebieg akcji, pięć osób zmarłych w podpalonym domu i analiza niepewnego bilansu 45–55.