The Ukrainians killed 3 Poles: on the road from Jezierzany, the workers of the Kwiatek Józef, 21 and Rola Antoni, 50, were murdered, while Buchwald Roman, 22, a Home Army soldier, was killed in the fight against the Ukrainian police.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide – January 1944”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

[The Ukrainians] murdered the Home Army soldier Czesław Gluza, 19 and NN. alias „Kowalski”.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide – March 1944”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

The following people died at the hands of the Banderites: Jasińska Domicela, 44, Jasińska Władysława, 32, Jarzycka Stanisława, 10, Kulikowska Genowefa, 41, Łapiak Anastazja, 38, Łapiak Kazimierz, 10, Tyc Józef, 40.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

source: Kubów Władysław, „Terrorism in Podolia”, in: Warsaw 2003

96 Poles were murdered by the Banderites. On February 11, 1945, Soviet officials from Koropiec came to Punik, who conducted a census and ordered them to hand over their weapons, claiming that the Poles would be safe, because the „authorities ensure the safety of”. On the night of February 12–13, 1945, when the guard was changed, Puźniki was surrounded and attacked from several sides by a UPA fighter, Petr Chamczuk „Bystry”. The attackers started killing the encountered Poles with firearms, axes, bayonets and knives and burning the buildings. Armed members of the self–defense, surprised by the scale of the attack, and IB soldiers present in the village undertook a chaotic defense. The civilians who had been alerted by them were sheltered in protected buildings, where shelters had been prepared. The largest number of victims died in „the” Borkowski ditch running through the village, with pits that could serve as hiding places. The UPA massacred several dozen women and children there, mostly with axes and bayonets; only those trying to escape were fired. In the morning, UPA forces withdrew from Puźniki. According to UPA documents, these were „Siri Wowki” and „Czernomorci”. Fr Józef Anczarski reports that 120 people died. According to Soviet data, 172–200 houses were burned, and 63 cattle were burned in the farms. The IB branch from Koropiec did not arrive in Puźniki on February 13, around noon. According to the Polish soldiers of the battalion and Puźniczanie, the Soviet commanders delayed the departure of the village to the rescue, and then directed the chase in the wrong direction. Crime victims, mostly women, children and the elderly, were buried in the cemetery in two mass graves. The following people died: Józef Borkowski, 45, Dancewicz Bronisław, 65, Dancewicz Adolf, 55, Działoszyński Michał, 20, Dzikowski Hilary, 40, Fugol N. 60, Fedorowicz Henryk, 30, Jasińska Maria, 5, Jasińska Anna, 35, Jasińska Stefania, 46, Jasiński Piotr, 50, Jasińska Ludwika, 40, Jasiński Marian, 18, Jasiński Józef, 45, Jasińska Joanna, 70, Jasińska N., Jaworska N. 61, Jasiński Bronisław aged 3, Hałuszczyńska Józefa aged 60, Haniszewska Emilia aged 70, Haniszewski Jan aged 16, Hnatów Adam aged 17, Karpińska Bronisława aged 45, Karpińska Maria, Karpińska Ludwika 40, Karpiński Kajetan aged 13, Koliszczak Magda aged 46, Koliszczak Jan aged 9, Komidzierska Rozalia aged 70, Kosiński Józef aged 50, Kret Irena aged 65, Mole Maria aged 35, Krupa N. No. 17, Krzywo Kasper aged 65, Łapiak Maria aged 20.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

source: Anczarski Józef, „Chronicles of the years of suffering and horror in Eastern Lesser Poland 1939-1946”, in: Krakow 1996, p. 474, 478, 479

On that tragic night of February 12–13, 1945, 9 people lived in our house: father Mikołaj, 50, mother Eleonora and three of us: Maria, 21, Władysława, 19, and I, the youngest, 16, and my aunt, father's sister Anna Jasińska, 35, with her daughter Maria, 5 years old, and sons: Dominik, 7 years old and Bronie, 3 years old. On that day, there was a group of Soviet soldiers in the village, which assured us that we could sleep peacefully, as it turned out later, they were Bandera in disguise. In the village, however, people were on the alert, and at our house, everyone slept with their clothes on. The men were on watch. At one point, our father, who was on watch at the time, burst into the apartment and shouted: „are murdering”. Many houses were already burning in the village. Our house and farm were located in the center of the village, just above a deep sewage ditch, about 4 meters wide and 2–3 meters deep, I later refer to „as”'s Death Ditch because this is where the most people died. We all ran out of the house and hid in this ditch. Numerous recesses were dug in its banks. We hid in one of them together with mother Eleonora. Mom covered us with a white cloth. From under the curtains, I saw the Bandera followers. One of them shouted „strelaj”, the other answered in Ukrainian „koły ne May” pool. The first one screamed the „ruby with the” secer. And it started. I saw figures dressed in white coats descend into a ditch. There was a terrible scream, pleas for sparing life. The attackers knew no mercy, hitting axes and stabbing with bayonets. One of them was standing on the edge of the ditch and when someone tried to escape, he was shot at. Buildings were burning around, only Józef Borkowski's house stood intact, it was brick and tiled. After some time, difficult to define in hours, the shooting stopped, I only heard different whistles and slogans „Kałyna wertoj”. Then there was silence, only the crackle of burning buildings, the groans of the wounded and dying people could be heard. The Banderites withdrew. They left buildings burnt out, human corpses and the wounded. Our father was shot, sister Maria had her head severed with an ax, sister Władysława had one leg chopped off, both hands and chest were stabbed with a knife, she was still alive, asked for water, died of blood loss in the morning. Aunt Dominik's son was lying under her back, he survived and lives to this day. Ciocia Anna Jasińska with her daughter Maria, age 5 and son Bronisław, age 3, were stabbed with bayonets. Out of nine people from our house, only three remained, six were murdered. I remember this terrible sight, burning buildings, the smell and the roar of burning cattle, screams, crying, looking for my families and fear of a new attack. In the morning I saw Magdalena Koliszczak, she was badly injured in the head, she was dying, but she asked hopefully if my child was alive? Unfortunately! Her son Jaś was already dead.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

source: Pacholik Józefa; in: „In the Outlands”, in: No. 21/1997

„18‑year‑old Wiktor Dancewicz recalls: «Then I returned from guard from the Zagajówka post, about 200 meters from the edge of the village. I was going to rest, I sat on the bed and then my mother came in shouting: ‹Kids! The fire is on!›. I jumped out into the yard and at that moment shots rang out  […] from the old trenches behind our gardens. I fired my rifle several times in that direction and my family and I took refuge in the shelter in the neighbor's building at the widow Rolowa  […] . The shelter was already full of women and children and a few older men able to defend themselves  […] . We responded with fire from several rifles to the strong Banderites fire. Not wanting to reveal the entrance to the shelter, my father and I went along the road towards Barysz. There we came across Banderites. after a short fire exchange, my father ordered me to return to the area of the shelter, and he tried to get to the Gnilec forest». Near this place, Jan Dancewicz ran out of ammunition. Unable to escape, he put the rifle under him and covered himself with a white cloth. «When the attackers approached, one said ‹he is dead› and the other added ‹finish him off, just in case›. a shot was fired». The bullet passed through the cheek and chin. The Banderites, being sure that he was dead, went on. Somehow, the wound was not fatal. 14‑year‑old antoni Jarzycki, whose mother and siblings hid in the bunker of his neighbor Władysław Jarzycki, was cut off by the approaching Banderites, but he did not manage to join the rest of the family: «I ran further to the village, to the shelter of Jędrzej Łacina  […] . Jędrzej Latin himself, The age of 55, with their neighbor Henryk Fedorowicz, huddled around buildings, shooting at the attackers, thus preventing them from approaching the farm. During the fight, H. Fedorowicz was shot straight in the mouth. He died on the spot. Jędrzej Łacina, after firing all the ammunition, took refuge in a house. Then the Bandera followers set fire to its farm buildings  […] . During the escape, we noticed how the Bandera followers were hitting someone in one yard, hitting someone with a rod or an ax. (as it turned out later, the victim was Józef Kosinski ‹Jutaka›whose body was found in this very place). In this situation, we turned back  […] . Outside, from the burning buildings, it was as bright as day. When we knocked on the door of J. Latin's house, he thought it was the Bandera followers who were knocking. He has only one bullet left in his rifle, who kept ‹for himself›. after a while, however, fortunately, he recognized us and let us inside. There were over a dozen people in the apartment, including a few very brave men, but powerless, because they had no ammunition for their rifles. Everyone was overwhelmed with fear, anger, and helplessness towards armed killers». For the inhabitants, the last point of resistance was the large two–story rectory building next to the church in the center of the village. Maria Kret, who, together with her mother anna née Jasińska, 12‑year‑old brother Stanisław, and orphaned – Marian and Staś, sons of Władysława Jasińska, murdered in Zalesie, were to spend that night at the Kamiński house. The massive attack of the Banderites meant that they too decided to force their way towards the church. In the prevailing confusion, among the shots, they got lost. «I was running with little Marian Jasiński through the large garden. Bullets whistled over my head, little Marian lost his shoe in a snowdrift. We got to the rectory building. I wanted to enter the building, but the door was barricaded. Terrified, I stood on the porch, not knowing what to do. I heard the sound of breaking glass. I was sure they were Banderites. However, it was the defenders who pulled in the inhabitants seeking shelter through the broken window on the high ground floor of the building. This is how I found the presbytery. There were already a lot of people there. Luckily my mother, brother and little Stasio Jasiński are also. Boys from Puźnik, among them Franciszek Łapiak and Jan Wiśniewski, fired on the approaching Banderites from the windows of the first floor. One of the nuns, sister Stefania, was carrying grenades to the defenders in an apron. People prayed together with Father antoni Wawrzyński. Songs were sung». Hidden under a white cloth, 16‑year‑old Józefa Szafrańska saw armed bandits enter a deep ditch in which several dozen women with children have sheltered: «One of them shouted: ‹strelaj› [shoot]. The second one answered in Ukrainian: ‹Koły ne maju pul› [I do not have any bullets]. The first one screamed: ‹is rubaj› [so hack and smash]. and it started. I saw figures dressed in white coats descend into the ditch. There was a terrible scream, pleas for sparing life. The attackers knew no mercy, hitting axes and stabbing with bayonets. One of them was standing on the edge of the ditch and when someone tried to run away, shot at him». at that time, terrified Honorata Dancewicz ran through the village with the intention of reaching the presbytery. «There were screams and groans of the wounded, murdered and dying, horses neighing and cattle roaring, dogs yelling and shooting. I was going to hide in the rectory, but I didn't make it. The Bandera followers were already on the way. There was a grotto–chapel next door, I ran there too, squeezed behind the statue of the Virgin Mary and, terrified, whispered softly: ‹Holy Mother, save me›». The besieged presbytery repelled the attacks. The attackers began to weaken. Józefa Szafrańska, who managed to remain unnoticed by the attackers in the Borkowski ditch, listened with horror for the sounds of the massacre. «after some time, difficult to define, the shooting stopped, I only heard different whistles and slogans: ‹Kolyna vt!›. Then silence followed. You could hear only the crackle of burning buildings, the groans of the wounded and dying. The Banderites gave up». In the morning, the inhabitants began to leave their hiding places cautiously, hoping to find their relatives. Rozalia Dancewicz, who hid in the forest with her daughter, ran home, trying to find his mother Józefa Hałuszczyńska. «The sight of what I saw was terrible. There was crying from everywhere  […] . I found my mother's body on the way home, which she did not manage to reach. She was shot. Under the bridge, she saw the horribly tortured body of Kacper Krzywoń. Our house was completely burned down, no cattle survived». In «the Borkowski ditch», the site of the greatest slaughter, Józefa Szafrańska and her mother found their relatives among the mutilated corpses: «Our father was shot, sister Maria had her head severed with an ax, sister Władysława had one leg cut off, both arms and chest were pierced with a knife, she was still alive she asked for water. In the morning, however, she died from the loss of blood. aunt Dominik's son was lying under her back, he survived and lives to this day. Ciocia anna Jasińska with her five‑year‑old daughter Maria and three‑year‑old son Bronisław were stabbed with bayonets. Of the nine people in our house, only three are left  […] . I saw Magdalena Koliszczak seriously wounded in the head, she was dying, but she asked hopefully if her child was alive? Unfortunately, her son Jaś was dead». In the afternoon hours, a unit of the Istriebielny Battalion mainly composed of Poles, commanded by a Soviet officer, entered the village. among them was Michał Sobków from Koropiec: «Macabre views in the village  […] . at every step we meet people with bleeding head wounds inflicted with axes. a little boy, Rudolf Łucki, with a dented skull, asks us for help. The tear in my head is stuck with bread. His mother and two sisters were killed. Moving on, we come across a man's body. Local people recognize Józef Jasiński in him. He was struck with daggers one by one. We come across the corpse of a small child. People say that this is the year and a half year Stasio Wiśniewski. The sight of the knife thrust into his mouth makes me feel weak». The Soviet commander, despite the indications of the inhabitants of Puźnicz, directed the chase in a completely different direction. It became more and more clear that the earlier visit of Soviet officials was only a camouflage, an attempt to lull the vigilance of Poles and orient themselves in the Polish forces. Soldiers from the Istriebielny Battalion recalled how their commanders cynically waited to go to the rescue of the attacked Polish settlements. «The bodies of the murdered were collected in various places by aleksander Ługowski. He put them on a sleigh and took them to the cemetery. I saw him carrying the body of 65‑year‑old Franciszka Nowicka. The body of the 70‑year‑old Bronisław Dancewicz was lying next to her. It was an older, tall, handsome gentleman. Now his body, stripped of its shoes, lay on the sleigh. One foot was sticking out from behind the sled and dragging in the snow. Most of the murdered were elderly people, women and children. They were quickly buried in hastily broken chests or wrapped in sheets in the two pits left over after the Germans were stationed in the village, who probably had set them up for their fallen, when the front stopped in the area for some time. We were afraid that the Banderites would make another robbery». (Maria Kret's testimony). The UPa murdered over 100 people that night. according to Soviet data, the attackers under the command of Petro Chamczuk «Bystry » burned 172 houses in the village and brutally murdered 82 civilians. This number does not include people whose bodies were not found”..

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

source: Dancewicz Maciej, „Destruction of Puźnik” — web page: archiwum.rp.pl [accessible: 2008.07.10]

Edmund Działoszyński, PUŹNICKA BALLADA (fragments)
Hen far to the east
the white birch bent down
The wind wails pitifully there.
where the mass grave is.
Nobody will light a candle there,
nor will he bring flowers
Only the wind will come sometimes
and rustles in the deaf forest.
Why are you so severe on the Dniester?
Why is your current so wild?
Why disappeared in the fire
Has his hometown of Puźniki?
The slaughter was there in the forty–fifth year,
at night on the thirteenth in February
It's hard to forget that sight
and those wounds on the shod pole.
The wind stirred up clouds of sparks,
he was still blowing the flames.
The moon came out and shone
surrounded by the village of the Bandera ring.
Huts on fire like torches,
witnessed the cruelty.
They illuminated dark crimes
terrible orgies and madness.
He ran Jasinski in an orchard, across a field
over the fresh snow towards Sianożęty,
until he saw it in a semicircle
the rest of his way was closed.
Immediately they cut off his ears,
they gouged out their eyes alive.
Seeing it won't move anymore
his life was „they gave”.
Runs, runs a woman,
but he sees that he will not be in time.
fear is already cutting her legs
and panic breaks down the heart.
She was close to the presbytery
when her skin felt dry with fear.
The Banderites had already cut off the road,
so she ran where the figure was.
Our Lady stood in the grotto,
so she hugged her with her hands,
and that's how she saved herself
by a miracle of God – Honorata.
And me there too, then a seven‑year‑old,
when the whole village was already on fire,
at the rectory then, mother
on her shoulders she took with her.
How to save a handful of life
when the fire rages around?
The house is driven away from hiding,
the child fearfully calls out to the mother.
Mother's scream! regret!
Bandera, quickly choked down
a long bayonet stuck into the larynx,
through his mouth and left it there.
In the morning the baby whimpered
and the dead arms of the corpse's mother.
Seventy bodies, that's the harvest
one night, UPA gangs.
Today they are post–traumatic –
macabre reminders,
which are no longer available
among the younger generation.
Not for long only in a fairy tale
the hazy image will remain,
but no one will explain this story closer
when the Pazniczanie expire.
Who will describe the fate of the orphan,
how children and old people rode
crowded for days and nights
several families on a railway coal wagon.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

On the night of February 13–14 at 4 am [in the morning] from the side of the village of Zalesie, the UPA „Bystrego” band encircled the village of Puźniki in the Koropiecki region of the Tarnopol Oblast and started setting fire to houses and farm buildings. The inhabitants of the village, saving themselves from the fire, ran out of the burning houses and were immediately shot by bandits at close range. The UPA gang burned 172 houses in the village of Puźniki and murdered 82 civilians in a brutal manner. During the fire, 63 heads of horned cattle were burned  […]
Head of Koropiecki RO MGB Kapitan KURIENNOJ
March 9, 1951.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide, February 1945”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2021.02.04]

source: „Note of the head of the RO MGB in Koropiec of March 9, 1951 regarding the acts of terror by the UPA in 1945”; in: State Archives of the Security Service of Ukraine, in: F. 26, op. 2, case 2, sh. 11—12

A Ukrainian neighbor murdered a 65‑year‑old Polish woman, Maria Głębocka; it was the 117th Polish victim of Ukrainian nationalism in this village.

source: Żurek Stanisław, „Calendar of the genocide – year 1947”; in: portal: Volhynia — web page: wolyn.org [accessible: 2022.03.02]