Mass executions in Kumowa Dolina

On 3 and 4 July 1940 Germans executed 115 Poles who were captured in Chełm, Krasnystaw and Zamość districts respectively. Mainly politicians, local council representatives, landlors, teachers and intelligentsia members were the victims. As for Krasnystaw, Gestapo arrested chosen Poles on 5 June 1940. Oberscharführer-SS Hugo Raschendorfer was the head of the detention operation. The arrested were taken to Chełm's prison where they were isolated and no packages were allowed. On 3 and 4 July 1940 prisoners were brought to Kumowa Dolina (Kumowa Valley) where they were shot, their bodies covered with sand. Those who were not dead were burnt alive when the German perpetrators came back to better cover their crime.

Image source: Internet

Kumowa Dolina witnessed other executions in 1944 too as the area with sand pits seemed perfect to organise any mass executions still during the course of WWII.