Wartime Fate of Bialystok's Officers of the Judiciary in the Light of Proceedings for Recognition of Death and Declaration of Death Conducted in the Bialystok Municipal Court in the Years 1946–1950

Abstract

The article presents the fate of World War II victims among the Bialystok judiciary. The fate has been reconstructed on the basis of the files of court proceedings for recognition of death and declaration of death, conducted in the Bialystok Municipal Court [Sąd Grodzki w Białymstoku] in 1946–1950. These proceedings were held on the basis of the procedure prescribed by the Decree of 29 August 1945 Personal Law. Eight case files of judges, attorneys, bailiffs and administrative staff were found of: Karol Wolisz, Cezary Pochodowicz, Stanisław Wykpisz, Henryk Jaroma, Julian Powojski, Bolesław Jan Stokowski, Stefan Doliński and Kiwa Tesfue. Most of them were victims of the Soviet system, among them there are reserve officers murdered in Katyn. Among the victims of Nazi murder, however, there were administrative employees of the courts. The identified individuals are not the only war victims among Bialystok’s court officials The article mentions, for example, two important representatives: resistance soldiers, one of whom was murdered following a trial during the communist era. The research concerning this topic will be continued.