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| Ochotnica Dolna |
Bloody Christmas Eve in Ochotnica Dolna – the symbolic name given to the pacification of the village Ochotnica Dolna (Nowy Targ County), conducted by the German occupiers in the last months of World War II. On the 23rd December 1944 an SS unit murdered 56 residents of Ochotnica, and partially burned the village. The name of the Bloody Christmas Eve refers to the Eve of Christmas, which in 1944 was celebrated on Saturday, December 23rd. On December 22nd, 1944 Germans came to Ochotnica Dolna to rob the village as part of the so-called provisioning action. Despite the protest of the local people a group of Soviet partisans attacked the German soldiers, killing two of them, including the non-com officer, SS-Unterscharführer Bruno Koch.
Next day about 200 SS-men came in six cars from Krościenko. The Germans intruded into the homes, demanding money first, and then murdering people. Kids were thrown alive into the fire or brutally murdered. The crime in Ochotnica Dolna, on December 23rd was committed by criminal company SS. This unit consisted of troops of different nationalities. The majority were storm troopers from 3. SS Division Totenkopf and 4. SS Panzergrenadier Division Polizei, volksdeutsche from Poland, Russia and Ukraine. On 23rd December 1944, 56 people were killed, including 19 children and 21 women. During over two hours almost all the members of Chlipała, Rusnak, Brzeźny, Karczewski families were killed. The fire-station, the folk house and 32 farms were burned.
The pacification of Ochotnica was one of the bloodiest German repressive actions in the Podhale region.
The monument in Ochotnica Dolna presents twenty years old Maria Kawalec, who cradles a little child to her breast. After her husband was shot, Maria jumped out of the window with her son in her hands. The first bullet shot the child in the forehead , another went through the shoulder blade and the jaw of the mother, who squatted under a willow, and she did not release the child from her hands, and froze in this position.
The pacification of Ochotnica was one of the bloodiest German repressive actions in the Podhale region.
The monument in Ochotnica Dolna presents twenty years old Maria Kawalec, who cradles a little child to her breast. After her husband was shot, Maria jumped out of the window with her son in her hands. The first bullet shot the child in the forehead , another went through the shoulder blade and the jaw of the mother, who squatted under a willow, and she did not release the child from her hands, and froze in this position.
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