Letter VI, no date[1]
Dear Boys! We do not have to assure you that your letter gave us great joy – Yes, we knew that previous girls kept in contact with you, even we read sometimes your poetry and letters, but naturally, we did not know many details – we had not communicated with them before they left. Does your “Dzwon” still exist? Here in the camp, life takes a different path. We have a little time; we face overcrowded blocks (in our block lives 570 women, designed for 240).
Despite all of that, we try, as much as we can, to introduce many “intellectual entertainment activities” – as far as we are concerned (“the rabbits” as they call us, the name so popular and sad yet quite to the point) we have, maybe the most favourable conditions for that. We work in our block doing the lightest yet most boring job – making socks. (Few of us, most healthy, are sent “aussen[2]”). That way, we have the opportunity to listen to lectures presented by our older friends. We have a chance to learn something and be creative. Unfortunately, most of our poets were sent out of the camp. Generally, the number of Poles is diminishing day by day.
I do not know if you are aware that the most popular form of camp art is carving – our artists can curve “wonders” in the handles of toothbrushes. We may assume from your letter that you imagine our fate in black colour. That is true; these are black issues. But despite that, we do not give up – we do not know if that can be called a stupor or toughening. Still, honestly, in the most challenging moments (there are better or worst times depending on new camp authorities, rules and facts) when someone would expect tears, we are able not only not to lose courage, strength and even good humour. It is not boasting. These are facts. Maybe our youth helps us, possibly hope for the future or warm from the bottom of heart feelings of our loved ones, our compatriots? Since there are so many of us, obviously there are many kinds among us, but depressed, in despair are not so many. The majority are substantial in some perseverance against violence. What helps us is that we become very close friends, we became a strongly tied group, and keeping Polish culture is the most important thing for us. In other words, Dear Boys, do not think that we do not know how to laugh and sing! Yes, most Poles are characterized by cheerful faces – we all believe in victory. But even if sometimes the pessimistic reflections about our fate get to us, it lasts a short moment and passes by quickly because this is not important. Maybe we became too harsh, possibly less sensitive (sensitivity is supposedly a woman’s attribute), or perhaps it is just an impression; regardless, one thing is for sure, every one of us somehow accumulates strength and energy for the future by working in the forced labour we dream about doing a voluntary job that we love in our field. I do not know what characterizes people from whom freedom was taken away? We have been imprisoned here for 2 or 3 years and some even more. And farther from release more we strive for acting and knowledge – by the way, at this point, we ask you to do us a favour: we envy you for having access to books; among us circulate only a couple ragged books – it is so tiny and most of the low intellectual value. So could you please send us something? We missed good books (after such extended fasting, is not it obvious?)
About the camp news: at night on Thursday by Friday left (or rather is going to leave since there is still Thursday) a transport to Carlsbad, which takes again a few of us (they are still happy because they are taken to porcelain and not an ammunition factory) and yesterday our “butcher”[3] came to rewir and operated another two from that five already undergone surgeries on August 16th, it hit us again, because despite being aware we secretly believed that since political situations seem improved, they might stop doing this to us, unfortunately, they did not contain.
We send you our greetings and smile to “our Boys” as we call you (are we allowed to call you like that?) Remember about us – your Sisters as you call us. PS a propos carved eagles what sizes are they supposed to be?
[1] Written by Wanda Wojtasik-Półtawska on Thursday, probably on September 16th, 1943. The letter’s author informs about two operations conducted on girls imprisoned in the bunker, which took place on the previous day. According to the list of operated, in September 1943, the following operations took place: on September 15th (Wednesday), Joanna Szydłowska was operated, on September 29th (Wednesday), Władysława Korolewska and Stefania Siekulicka were operated. The letter does not have information about the execution of six prisoners (including four operated), which took place on September 28th, 1943, and information about the fact that two received Communion. The above suggests that the letter was written before that date. More probable is that the author made a mistake providing information about several surgeries rather than omitting such vital events in the camp life as execution (for example, the author of the letter V written in the first half of September 1943 states: “executions are not taking place since May”) and equally important spiritual experience of receiving Communion in the camp. The above facts were noted in the letter dated October 2nd, 1943
[2]Teams working outside of the camp
[3] Dr. Gebhardt