"THE PHOTOGRAPH" "We've seen this photo for the first time during Józef Rybicki's exhibition." "He was a soldier of the Fourth Division in the Polish Army and a photographer." "It was taken in Praga in front of the building just left by the Germans." "We've decided to find these boys and their story." "Our first interlocutor was author of the photograph." "We've entered Praga 15th of September in the afternoon." "The next day I was taking photos of various situations since morning." "We've entered the courtyard with lots of people there." "Propaganda vehicle drove in and played national anthem... and all the people from the building came to the courtyard." "The anthem caused emotional reactions." "Two officers took off their hats and put them on the heads of the boys, two others gave them rifles and I made the picture." "And that's the whole story of this photograph." "Many times later I visited this courtyard and the building... so now I know - it's Brzeska Street 5" " Excuse me, do you live in here?" " No, I'm just painting." "Excuse me, I have a short question." " Do you live in this building?" " Yes." " Can you tell me who's lived here since the war?" " I'm a new tenant here." "There are persons here who've lived here for 40-50 years, ask them." "I won't tell you because I don't know anything." " How long have you been living here?" " 10-15 years." " Since war?" " Yes." " Did you live here when the war ended?" " Yes, I did." "Do you remember... please take a look." "I don't remember this." "[unintelligible]" "No, I don't recognize this." " Boy scouts." " Who is this?" " Boy scouts." " It was taken the day this building was freed." " I wasn't here." " You weren't here then?" " No, I was in Germany." "I've participated in Warsaw Uprising for 6 weeks." "I've forgotten how it was." " Can you..." " Szwabs were beating people, nothing more." "What can I say?" " Take a look." "Who is it?" " Kids." " Whose kids?" " Maybe someone we know?" "They might have been defending, throwing bottles with gasoline at Germans, tanks." "They clothed them this way." "But such kids, they couldn't have done anything." "They were running and nobody even paid attention." " It's Mrs. Waszylowa." " But kids, tell something about the kids." "Maybe you'll recognize." "You should know who are these children." "They resemble someone, but..." "Yes, here's Majenka Dzienia." "Janek Jastrzebski." " Isn't this your wife with some child?" " No." " Yes, it's your wife." " Look Marysia, it's you!" " Who would recognize half of my face?" "I only remember how we'd all left this building and had shouted that we're freed." "Our army came first, then Russians." "I remember, because a lot of people came out of the building, ... but something like that, I don't remember." " Mister is here, so there must be something." " I'm not sure if that's me." " How long have you been living here?" " Since war, since 1939." "Take a look at this picture." "Children." "God, oh my God." "That's awful." "Such a small children." " Whose children are they?" " Polish children." "Our children." " Can't you remember who is it?" " No." " Names?" "Please take a good look." "I don't remember." "I don't recognize this children." "Do you remember the day when soldiers came and freed this building?" "I do." "I was crying and kissing with them." "I came out of the basement." "I remember that day." "It was an awful day." "A happy day." "Yes." "But I don't know this children." "I moved here lately, in autumn." " No, I don't remember." " Don't you recognize this lady?" " Wasilewska?" " Maybe it's her." " And here's Dzienia's oldest daughter." " Schabowa is standing here." "And late Mrs.Wasilowa." " But whose kids are they?" " Don't you remember?" " I don't remember." " I think they're Janczewski's boys." " Whose?" " Janczewski." " Whose?" " Janczewski. - Which Janczewski?" " This one living on the ground-floor." " Here?" "Near the toilet?" "This boys?" " Two sons." " Yes, she had two sons." "I think I recognize this little one." " Janczewski's, true." " That's what I'm saying." " Janczewski's children." " Which one?" " The one who lived here." "What a chance to see this young children." " What's the reason, gentlemen?" " We want to find this children." "They're adults now." " What's his name?" " This one's Tadek." "And this one..." "I don't remember." " And what's the name of the smaller one?" " This one's Darek, no?" "What was his name?" "This one's... what's his name?" "Younger one, I forgot, so many years." " I can't recall it." " There was a daughter Danka." " Yes, Danka." " Wasn't he Leszek?" " No, not Leszek." " Zbyszek maybe?" " This one's Zbyszek." " Yes, this one's Zbyszek." "Tadek and Zbyszek." "Yes I remember them, I was a child too." "I was 12." "This family lived here, in an annex." "It was a very poor family." " What more can I say?" "They moved out in 1947." " Do you know where to?" " I joined army soon after." "Our ways split up." " You were here the whole time during occupation, right?" " 30 years." "Take a look at this photo." "Tell us who are these boys." "Do you know them?" "Mister, this one looks like my... boy." "I don't know this one, but the other looks like mine." " Your son?" " Yes." " No." "No." " Marian?" "Looks like Marian." "He used to dress the same way." " Whose are these boys?" " Neighbours told us they're Janczewska's boys." "Tadek and Zbyszek." " Yeah, that might be right." " Yes?" " Yes, that's right." " They moved out." "Do you know where?" " I don't know." " Did you run a shop during war the whole time?" " Yes, it was a restaurant." "Can you tell something about this boys or Janczewski's family?" "No, I don't remember anything." "I'm 83 years old and I'm sick." "Neighbours told us they were from Janczewscy family." "I don't remember." "I was so upset, because my son wasn't there." "I thought he was executed, but thank God he's missing a leg, but he's alive." "Please tell us something about Janczewscy family." " I don't remember." " Mrs. Janczewska, Mr. Janczewski." "Do you remember them?" "I don't remember." " Mother died." " Father died." " Mother died too." "How can we find where did they move out?" "Who may know?" " Wouldn't Tadek know?" "But he doesn't live here." "Tadek would know." "How can we find him?" "Who could know where is he living?" "His mother lives here and a brother too." " Tadek's mother lives here?" "Where?" " On fourth floor." "There's someone in the window right now." "To Mr. Michalowski." "I have a favor, can you come here for a moment?" "We want to see you in the light." " Mr. Michalowski, right?" " Yes." " We're searching for your brother Tadeusz." " He's living in Bielany." " Can you give us his adress?" "He's working today, he's on a second shift in Warsaw's steel mill." " But we want his adress, so we can find him." " Magiera Street 20/26." "He's living on the ground-floor." "We're searching for this boys." "It's a photo taken just after the occupation." "I know them too." "They are Janczewscy." "They lived there." "Our neighbours." "It was taken first day after the liberation." "Do you know if your brother knows more about this?" "Wasn't he friend of this family?" "Yes, you're right." "He may know more about this." "You were a good friend of Janczewscy family, weren't you?" "I was a neighbour." " You're were a neighbour and also..." " Mainly a neighbour." "We were living in front of each other." "Do you know where they moved out to?" "What happened to them after the war?" "I don't know." "I can't tell you." " And that's..." "Janczewski." " Do you know which number?" " No, I don't know." "DOMESTIC BOOK OF REGISTRATION" " I have to skim through the whole book." " OK, let's do it." "Jackowski, Jakubowska." "Janczewski Jerzy and Tadeusz." "Registered here in 1945." "They came from Brzeska too, just another flat." " Where did they go?" " 15th July 1947, Debinki village, Falenica district." " Good morning." "Once in this village..." "it's Debki, right?" " Debinka." " In 1947 Janczewscy family came from warsaw to this village." " They did." " Do you know something about them?" " They were living here." " Where?" "In which house?" " I don't remember." "I only know they were here." " We want to find their house." " I don't remember, it was over 10 years ago." " Do you remember this family?" " I remember them, but not very well." " What kind of family was it?" " Just a family, from Warsaw." "We have a picture of boys from this family." "Do you recognize them?" " Young boys, still young." " They're Janczewscy's sons." " Janczewscy?" "You know, I can't remember right now where were they living." " Don't you know who might know it?" " I can't say." " Maybe there are documents somewhere." " It'll be hard, you should go to presidium." " Where is the presidium?" " It's near the railway station." " In which city?" " In Józefów." "Here it is." " Janczewski Jerzy." " And Tadeusz." " They moved in in 1947, moved out in 1948 to Warsaw." "Komorowska Street 44." "Komorska!" "Komorska 44." " Good afternoon." "Is Mr. Janczewski living here?" " Yes." " Can I see him?" " He's not here right now." " Can youcome here for a moment?" " When will he come here?" " I don't know, somewhere around 5." " Around 5, yes?" " Yes." " Can we wait here for him?" " Where?" " In your apartment." " Sure, but what kind of intrusion is that?" " I'll explain everything, ok?" " Go ahead." " Thank you very much." "Excuse me, just a moment." "I really don't understand." "I'll explain everything." "Please take a look." "Where did you find it?" " What is this?" " It's my husband and his brother." "My God!" "I wanted to make a copy." "We have only one photo like this." " Where did you find it?" " We found it." "You came when there is such a mess here." "You should let me know earlier." "It doesn't matter if there's a mess or not." "I have small child, my cousin came to visit." "I didn't clean up bedclothes." "I feel ashamed." " But where did you find it?" " We found it at the exhibition." "Exhibition in an officer's club showing photos made by a soldier." " And?" " We found it interesting, we wanted to see people in this photo today." " It's my husband, smaller one with opened mouth." " Yes." " And that's his brother Jurek." " Jurek?" "They told us it's Zbyszek." " Jerzy." " What was the first time you've seen this photo?" " We weren't married then." "He invited me to his parents and we were watching family photos together." "I saw it and really liked it." "Mostly his opened mouth, I think." "Those stockings folded like bagels." " When did you first met your husband?" " 29th of August, 3 years ago." "We knew each other mostly by letters." "He came to Rzeszów, told me to exempt from work and we got married that day." "And I came to Warsaw." "We've been living here for almost 2 years." "You were living with your parents-in-law, where?" "In Targówek." " In Targówek?" "Which street?" " Saint Wincent 17" "Who lives there now?" "Jurek with wife and a daughter and also another mother with son." "Saint Wincent 17/13" " What does he do for a living?" "Jurek." " He's a driver too, in Warszawianka." "Can you tell us something about your husband?" "Normal guy like thousands others in Poland." "I don't know what can I say to describe him in few sentences." "What happened?" "We came here, because we have a picture." "Take a look." "Do you recognize it?" " Yes." " We came to talk to you about this." "Old story, you know." " What can I say about this?" " Please, take a sit." " Thank you." "I'm talking like it's my place, but we've got familiar here." "I was surprised as much as you." "We want you to tell us something about this." "Tell us what happened when this photo was taken." "I remember something, but how was it really back then..." " I'm sorry." "This coffee is for me?" " Sure." "Yes, yes, yes." " I've made coffee for gentlemen." " [unintelligible]" " You were small." "How old were you?" " 6 or 7." " Liberation of Praga was in 1945..." " 1944" " In 1944." "I was 5 years old." "I don't know." "It's hard to say how it really was." "I know it happened and I was standing with my brother, holding a rifle." "I don't remember what was the occasion." "You know, if we were both here, it would go smoother, but this way." " You're Janczewska too?" " Yes, Barbara." " Basia, tell me." "Do you know where is your daddy?" " In work." " Where does he work?" " In Warszawianka, in Grochów." " What does he do?" " He delivers clothes, takes care of some things." "He's driving simple white Warszawa." " What kind of person is your father?" " He's black-haired, has a quiff." "He's shaved and drives a car." " You'll recognize him later..." "I've forgotten." "Malgosia?" "Do you know?" " Warszawa." " Oh, I said this before." "Warszawa." "You can always recognize him, because he's not wearing a suit." "And he always sticks one hand out of the window." " From the car?" " Yes." "We want to see Mr. Janczewski." "Do you know where is he?" " Janczewski." "Where is he?" "Tadek, don't you know?" " Who?" " Janczewski." " A driver?" " Yes." " I think he left." " He was here just a moment ago." " Where is he now?" " Now?" " Yes." "I don't know." " He's here!" " Is this Mr. Janczewski?" " Good morning." "Mr. Janczewski?" " Yes, That's me." "We're from television, we want something from you." "Let's stand in the shadow." " Take a look." "We have a photo here." " That's me, I can even show it to you." "It's my picture, here's my brother Tadek and here's me." "Do you remember the day when it was taken?" "Can you tell us about it?" "Poles drive in to our courtyard with a truck." "No, I can't talk." "It's a tragedy, my mother died there." "Our mother was heavily wounded and people were taking care of us." "Army came there." "And we..." "It wasn't just me, there were a lot of kids." "We ran to meet soldiers." "I was in this hat, they called me." "One of them gave me a chocolate." "It was on a cardboard." "And he started to ask me where's father, where's mother, where's brother." "Later they gave us rifles and took a photo." "That's what I remember." "I don't remember more details." "I was a child, 8 years old." "Do you remember how did the soldier look like?" "Even if I'd tried to reconstruct the whole story, I won't recall it." "When they took a photo... but I don't know who, I was a child after all." "Father came from France and showed us a French newspaper with this photo." " It was printed in the newspaper?" " Yes." " And who gave him this photo?" " Father bought a newspaper in France." "And the photo I have was given to us by the soldiers who took it." "They gave us 2 copies as a keepsake." "Sister probably has one copy and I have the second one in my home." "That's all I can say to you." "You know, there were various times in life." "Good, bad and turbulent." "Sometimes it wasn't worth talking about all of this." " How did you met your wife?" " That was a funny story." " I was working... it was 1966, right?" " Yes." "When I was working in Zakoba [?" "] I was often driving to Lezyny, because many foreign delegations were coming." "I was driving chairwoman to railway station and I was coming back, and she was in the tram on the bridge, and I took a look at her, and you know, I noticed her." "I had better means than her, I was in a car, I could go wherever tram could go." "I was driving to Olszewska Street, where my wife got off the tram." " She wasn't your wife yet." " She was a stranger back then." " I didn't know where is..." " Madalinski Street" " She asked?" " Yes, but not me, some lady." "I drove up to her and offered her a lift." "It was just... hardly 1 km." "We started talking and I invited her for a coffee." "That's how it started and almost year later we got married." "We've met in August and got married in May." "In May. 9 months." "They say people who got married in May are unhappy." "Who knows, maybe we'll get divorced." " But so far?" " So far everything's ok."