Maria Zientara Malewska was a poet, educational and social activist, a teacher from Warmia in the interwar period. After the outbreak of the war, the Nazi German authorities imprisoned her in Ravensbrück. After the war, she was a Polish Writers’ Union member in Warmia and Mazury. In 1960, she wrote a book entitled “Warmio moja miła” ( ‘My delightful Warmia’ ). She collected folk tales from Babimojszczyzna, published by Warsaw Pax 1960.
Memories of Ravensbrück I saw hands, many hands stretched out for a piece of bread, Then I look around to see Other eyes so bright, Like the roof of heaven, And foreheads in suffering bent. I saw hands, many hands, So thin that they rustle like parchment. A rigid sign of work in frost, Snow and rain are engraved on them. Those trembling hands Holding a bit of bread, Soaked with, dropped From eyelashes tears. I saw hands droopy Like a wilting, faded flower, The blood from them sucked By shadows of barbed wires, These hands put the bread Into mouth as the holiness. Mute hands asking desperately For crumbs of bread. I have seen hands from which blood Gushed from work beyond strength, Covered with blue marks from whips, The wounds had not yet healed. I saw hands, many hands, Stretched out for a piece of bread. Then I looked around, And saw other eyes so bright As the ceiling of the sky. Although they imprisoned us And set their dogs on us, One day we will raise Our Poland from dust. Ravensbrück, 1940