Hecklingen

Józef Szlendak, Cpl. a.k.a. "Ciemny", "Okręt"

* 14.10.1923 Wólka (according to the death certificate from Michów)

† 24.4.1945 Hecklingen

Originally, because of the policy pursued in the GDR, individual graves were in decline and were eventually surrounded by a concrete frame with vegetation, with no information about the buried war victims.

The family of Corporal Szlendak learned about his death and the place where he was buried only in 1949. After the war, attempts to learn about the fate of relatives who belonged to the Home Army could be dangerous because of the new system introduced in Poland. Despite this, the brothers of the deceased tried to reach Hecklingen and establish the exact place of burial, unfortunately without success. Later on, the niece of the deceased and her daughter continued the search.

It was only in April 2017 that the grave was restored. Dense vegetation was removed and a tombstone with the data of the Corporal and of other victims buried in this grave was erected. On May 17, 2017, the niece of Józef Szlendak and her daughter could lay wreaths and a birch cross on the grave in the presence of representatives of the town, Polish and Russian embassies and priests of three confessions.