Piotr Kościelecki - Instytut Pileckiego
Piotr Kościelecki was commemorated by the Pilecki Institute on 9 June 2021 in Grądy-Woniecko.
During the German occupation he lived alone on the outskirts of the village of Grądy-Woniecko. His wife – Zofia (Pojmańska) – died before the outbreak of the war, and his son Jan probably lived in nearby village Wiźno. Peter’s house was located under the forest, near the peat bogs, and he made his living from agriculture, running a small farm.
At the end of 1942 the Germans began to liquidate the surrounding ghettos, many Jews fled and sought refuge. Aware of the threat of death, Kościelecki helped several fugitives, providing food and the opportunity to hide in a haystack on his farm. On 21 November 1943, Jews in hiding were discovered by accident. This happened during a hunt, which was attended by German soldiers who were on a rehabilitation tour in a nearby estate in Grądy-Woniecko. During the hunt, numerous human traces around Kościelecki’s buildings caught the attention of hunters, which provoked them to search the farm. At the sight of the approaching Germans, the Jews were panicked. Two, taking advantage of the absence of the host, hid in his house. They were immediately found and shot, despite attempts to resist. A third Jew died from a bullet while fleeing, 100–200 metres from home. The others, including one woman, managed to escape. Preserved testimonies do not allow us to recreate the further course of events on that day. According to one of them, Piotr did not expect to be arrested and therefore decided to return home. He believed that he was in no danger and that he would not be suspected of aiding Jews.
The next day, ten German soldiers from the estate in Grądy-Woniecko and eight gendarmes from the post in Rutki arrived at Kościelecki. The commander of the gendarmerie led Kościelecki out of the house, beating him with a stick. The house was searched, and Piotr was revisioned. At that time, the nearby villagers were ordered to dig a collective grave for the bodies of the Jews who had been murdered the day before, also they proceed with the destroying of farm buildings. Pushed by gendarmes, Kościelecki was taken to a nearby haystack and murdered there with two shots to the head. His body was buried in a mass grave with the jewish fugitives, 20 yards from his house.
By order of the Germans, the house was demolished, and everything that was of any value in the form of building materials, as well as all living inventory, was transported to the gendarmerie station in Rutki. The body of 61-year-old Piotr Kościelecki was soon exhumed by his son Jan and buried in the parish cemetery in Wiźno.