Aus dem Forum der SL:
Geschrieben von Hermine Hausner am 22. Mai 2001 16:37:13:
MAY 17, 1945
by Hermine Hausner
I was, at that time, eleven years old, my sister Gerlinde was seven years old and my
mother Hermine Schwab was seven months pregnant. The Soviet troops were about one week in
our village OberJohnsdorf, near Landskron. Since my grandparents, Julius and Hermine
Kreuziger, had not just a farm and a guesthouse, but also a butcher shop, my grandfather
had to butcher cattle for the troops. All of the young women were hiding including my
mother, because the Soviet troops were still raping women. Thus, we children were in our
grandparents' house. My grandmother was severely handicapped, even crippled by arthritis,
and thus the soldiers did not bother her.
My father, Robert Schwab, was not drafted during the war due to a problem with his legs.
He worked in Landskron in the City Hall. My uncle, Reinhard Schwab, had finished his
engineering education and worked in a factory also in Landskron. Our families did not feel
in any way guilty of having harmed our Czech neighbors. That is why they did not flee
before the Soviets and Czech partisans arrived.
On May 17, the situation had somewhat normalized and thus, my father and uncle went to
Landskron to work. Later in the morning a few truckloads of Czech partisans arrived in
order to conduct a People's Court. Of course, this was not known. The Czech partisans went
to the nearby villages and collected all of the men between sixteen and sixty and even
older and drove them on foot to Landskron. During the journey they were beaten and rifle
shots were fired over their heads to prepare them for the tribunal. My grandfather, Julius
Kreuziger, who was at that time sixty-five, was also among those who had to go to that
court.
By early afternoon, hundreds of men were at the city square and the tribunal started. My
father and uncle were among these. They also had to appear before the tribunal during
which time they were beaten with rifles, and they had to salute "Heil Hitler".
Others had to kneel down in front of these "judges" and Czech partisans would
kick them in their genitals and knock them to the ground. My father was so severely beaten
with rifles that his eyes were knocked out of his head. Half dead he was then hung on a
lantern in the city square. My uncle Reinhard was equally beaten and then, half dead, was
thrown in the village fountain, whereby, he drowned.
During the late afternoon, the tribunal resumed. Over forty men laid dead on the square or
were hanging from the lanterns. The German men, who were not killed, were ordered into
custody overnight and the tribunal continued the next day. On May 19, these dead bodies
were thrown on wagons and hauled to the cemetery. Among those who came to view the
tribunal were many Czech persons, who either wanted to see "'justice" or felt
sorry for these men. My uncle, Emil Pelzl, also was among those at the City Square. Since
my grandfather and uncle Emil were known by many Czech farmers due to their cattle
trading, they were, without knowing of each other, taken by the Czech farmers, removed
from the square, sent home and told to hide during the next few days until all this terror
ended. At the cemetery, the other German men had to dig a mass grave. The dead bodies were
thrown into it with a very ugly disrespect by the Czech partisans, urinating on them.
Before my grandfather came home, we had heard of the terrible crimes and massacres which
were committed at Landskron. My grandfather, in total frustration, decided to destroy his
whole family, as he told us years later. During that night, my grandfather wanted, while
we were sleeping, first to shoot us children, then the rest of the family and after that
himself. My grandmother, obviously suspicious of this, did not rest and kept us children
awake. Thus, one hour after another went by. As morning broke, my grandfather gave up his
plan. Terrible days and nights followed this massacre at Landskron.
Hermine Hausner