Representatives of 37 nationalities were imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp (KL Dachau), including a substantial number of clergymen; among them 95% were Catholic priests. Poles were the largest group – 1777, followed by German over 400 and French – over 50.

– Get out of here immediately – heard Rev. Stefan Wyszyński in autumn 1939 from his bishop. – And that’s an order you must carry out with the rigor of obedience. Wyszyński’s name had already been entered on German proscription lists, but bishop Kozal was still hoping he would obtain the occupier’s permission for the seminarians to return to Włocławek. But was the same as before: Włocławek became a “German city”, Kuyavia and Greater Poland as Warthegau – Reich District of Warta River – were incorporated into the III Reich.

Although it’s not about a bragging match about Polish suffering, casualties, destruction and displacement, the situation of Poles in the territories incorporated to the Reich was much more dramatic, not to say tragic, than in the General Governorate. Mass executions in these territories began almost immediately, in accordance with proscription lists.

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By Barbara Sułek-Kowalska