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21.10.2020

The last photo of "Inka"?

A hitherto unknown photo of Danuta Siedzikówna nome de guerre "Inka" has been published in the latest issue of the IPN’s Bulletin. The picture, taken in mid July 1946, shows this medical orderly of the Home Army 5th Wilno Brigade in the same dress as she was arrested soon afterwards.

Inka Siedzikówna Photo

In the picture, we have a smiling girl wearing a dark dress in white flowers. Her face is full of joy. When she posed for this photo, Danuta knew that her family was safe. She had only just met her sister who gave her the good news. She was expected to rejoin her partisan unit soon. When she was being photographed, she did not expect that she would be arrested. This was most probably "Inka"’s last smile, captured on the photograph.

Danuta Siedzikówna was arrested by the Security Service on 20 July 1946. After a short but brutal investigation, the Military District Court in Gdańsk sentenced her together with Feliks Selmanowicz nome de guerre "Zagończyk" to death. On 28 August 1946, the moment before they had been executed, they both hailed: "Long live Poland!". These young victims of the communist regime died as a result of a single bullet to the head.

Following exploration work conducted at the Garrison Cemetery in Gdańsk, a team of the IPN’s experts led by Ph. D., D. Sc. Krzysztof Szwagrzyk came across the remains of a man and a woman in September 2014. Genetic testing confirmed that the female remains belong to Danuta Siedzikówna and the male remains found next to the "Inka" burial place are the ones of "Zagończyk".

The solemn state funeral took place on 28 August 2016 – 70th anniversary of the execution on "Inka" and "Zagończyk".


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