The Responsibility of Memory

Americans in London

“The House of Representatives Committee on Katyń commenced work quicker and more efficiently that was expected — this sentence opens a message sent on October 17th 1951 from Washington by the correspondent of the London “Dziennik Polski i Dziennik Żołnierza”.

As soon as the Committee was established and given office space, it called its first witness, US Army Lieutenant Colonel Donald B. Stewart, one of three US Army officers sent by the Germans to Katyń shortly after the graves were dug up, in 1943.

Lt.-Col. Stewart's hearing took well over two hours, during which he precisely and carefully described his impressions and the conclusions he reached. The entire hearing was written down by stenographers as well as recorded on tape, so that it could be replayed at any moment. Considering the fate of the “lost report” filed by Lt.-Col. Stewart's colleague, who had visited the site with him, Lt.-Col. Van Vliet, the technical preparations for the recording of the Committee hearings seems understandable.”

The “Dziennik Polski i Dziennik Żołnierza” correspondent does not mention the unfortunate and ridiculed hearing of the hooded “John Doe”. The Committee is better prepared for asking questions and has earned its first successes. It determined, for example, that there had been a pro-soviet group of civil and military workers in the Army's intelligence, who would find an explanation for anything the Soviet Union did. And it was not fooled into believing claims that the consequences of making information on the Katyń Massacre available in 1943 would have weakened the involvement of Polish-Americans in the Allied cause ...

After hearing testimonies from 15 witnesses in Washington and Chicago, the Committee went to Great Britain, were a large group of Poles were — as had been previously confirmed — waiting to testify.

“The House Committee,” writes “Dziennik Polski i Dziennik Żołnierza” on April 17th 1952, “is working in London almost fully staffed, excluding two members who could not come to England. The hearings are being held in a London Hotel, but behind closed doors, since, despite the attempts of the Committee, it has not received permission to hold hearings publicly, with the participation of the press, as it has in the United States and as it will next week in Frankfurt [...]

The London reporter for the “Dziennik” gained insight into the work of the Committee from witness heard on the first day. Hearings are held in a small room. One table is occupied by five Representatives: Machrowicz, Madden, Flood, Dondero and Okonski. Across from them is the witness' table, at which sits Mr. Pucinski, who is conducting the investigation and serving as a translator.

Stenographers brought from the US record protocols of the testimonies which are later signed by the witnesses at the American Consulate.

The witnesses begin their testimony with a pledge, and at the end, Committee Chairmen Madden asks them if they had been promised any payment for giving their testimony. The Chairman also ask the witness whether, based on the whole of their experience, can they formulate an opinion as to who was responsible for the massacre. The answer to this question is easy to guess. The Committee asks numerous questions during the hearing.

Committee members strictly obey the rule forbidding them from mentioning any names of even personal data which could help the communists to identify the witnesses, if the latter wish to remain anonymous for personal reasons ...”