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“Your assistance is highly needed”. A collection of Tadeusz Łukasiewicz’s camp letters now in the Archives of the Memorial Site.
A unique and extremely extensive collection of original documents concerning Tadeusz Łukasiewicz, a prisoner of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz, registered under number 16941, are now in the Archives of the Memorial Site.
Tadeusz Łukasiewicz was born on 28 May 1915 in Kielce. He was deported to Auschwitz by the Germans from Warsaw on 29 May 1941, on the same transport that carried among others, the Franciscan Friar Maximilian Kolbe.
“The correspondence exchanged between Tadeusz Łukasiewicz and his family in Kielce deserves particular attention. It is a collection of 20 letters and 4 postcards he sent from the camp between 28 September 1941 and 10 January 1943. Not only did his close relatives meticulously gathered the letters they received from the Auschwitz prisoner, but also kept drafts of letters they sent to Auschwitz. As a result, we are in possession of a collection of 21 texts of letters sent to the Auschwitz prisoner. It allows us to track, how important this exchange of correspondence was for both sides,” said Dr. Wojciech Płosa, the head of the Archives.
The first two letters Tadeusz Łukasiewicz sent from Auschwitz were addressed to his mother, Jadwiga Łukasiewicz. He ensured her, “all was well with him” and asked to be sent some money. He also did not forget to send wishes to his mother on the occasion of her name day, expressing hope that “they will soon see each other again”. The remaining correspondence is addressed to Józef Kłodawski, his uncle, the mother's brother, who informed the prisoner thus: “I received your letters of 28 September and 12 October of this year. We have not received any news from your Mother for over a month, and we do not know her whereabouts. The officials also inquired after her”.
“Apparently, the family as well as the prisoner knew exactly the whereabouts of his mother. This is indicated by the wording of a letter sent by Tadeusz Lukasiewicz on November 2, 1941.: ‘I am not saddened by this message because a change of job will do good to Mieciowa. I am glad she is doing well’. Since in the preserved archive collections, the death certificate of the prisoner contains the names of his parents: Mieczysław and Jadwiga, the expression ‘Mieciowa’ probably refers to Tadeusz’s mother. It is uncertain why she had to go into hiding, but it is believed that she was informed in details of what her son wrote in his letters to the uncle,” said Wojciech Płosa.
Tadeusz Łukasiewicz repeatedly pointed out in his letters, how grateful he is to his family for their support—especially the material support, in the form of food parcels and warm clothing, as well as money transfers. “Your assistance is highly needed,” he wrote in his letter of 30 November 1941. His uncle Józef also supported the nephew by providing good news about the health of the entire family and sending brief details of everyday life. About one of his sons, he wrote: “Little Józek is developing well. He learned to read and write all by himself, and 1 March he will be just 6 years old”.
Certainly, what was particularly difficult for them was the feeling of separation, especially during the Christmas and Easter seasons. Tadeusz could not refrain from writing thus: “letters from you remind me of the pre-war Christmas Eve I spent with you. I would also love to experience this year’s Christmas Eve with you”. In response, he received assurances: “We miss you very much at Christmas Eve”.
In one of his letters, Tadeusz Łukasiewicz informed his uncle that fellow prisoners write letters on his behalf because his knowledge of German is not good enough. The penmanship in the preserved correspondence indicates that at least four persons wrote the letters. The contents of Tadeusz’s correspondence did not raise any objections to the camp’s censorship. Only in his letter of 5 April 1942 was a small section of text removed. Undoubtedly, Tadeusz Łukasiewicz was aware of how important and useful the knowledge of the German language was in the camp. Not only did it help to properly understand instructions given by the SS men and prisoners, and consequently carry them out correctly but also to avoid penalties for tardiness or even disobedience.
“The ability to use the German language was also helpful in finding a good job, giving the conditions in the camp. Important information on this subject is found in a letter sent from Auschwitz on 4 October 1942.: ‘Now I can learn German and have plenty of opportunities to do so’,” said Płosa
The last of the preserved letters sent by Tadeusz Łukasiewicz from Auschwitz is dated 10 January 1943. “Thank you for your wishes and also for the two parcels. On the occasion of the last Christmas and New Year, I send you my sincere and heartfelt wishes. Please also convey my New Year’s greetings to relatives, the entire family and acquaintances,” we read.
A draft of the last letter that Uncle Józef sent to his nephew is also preserved to date. This document is dated 13 January 1943. That last letter, however, did not reach the addressee. According to the death certificate preserved in the Archives, Tadeusz Łukasiewicz died in the Auschwitz camp on 14 January 1943.
