Conflagration – Memories from Volhynia 1917-1919
In Tereszki, the old residence of the Grocholski family, the 2nd squadron of lancers was stationed, as I have already mentioned. Thanks to the presence of the Polish unit, the manor, full of antique furniture and valuable mementos, remained untouched.
On the memorable day of January 29, the regiment staff called the squadron to Antonin. However, as soon as the unit arrived, the clash with the Bolsheviks was successfully concluded, and the soldiers were sent back. They turned around without dismounting their horses.
The squadron commander, substituting for Captain Ciehomski, Lieutenant Lachowski hurried, fearing that the peasants from Tereszki would take advantage of his absence to attack the manor. Although only five quarters had passed since the squadron left, haste was advisable.
Approaching Tereszki, the lieutenant noticed a torn book in an expensive binding lying by the road. “Gallop!” he shouted, struck by a bad premonition. They galloped through the gate and stood frozen at the sight of the destruction. The manor they had left an hour ago ceased to exist – it was gone. In place of the tranquil house, filled with beautiful things, stood shapeless skeletons of walls, without windows, doors, or roof, blackened with gaping chimney holes, mournful in their horror. The courtyard was littered with scraps of books, remnants of porcelain, broken furniture, paintings… The outbuildings were in little better condition.
It seemed as if evil spirits had been at work here or a terrible cosmic upheaval had passed. There was no sign of a living soul around. The lancers dismounted and walked around the buildings, shaking their heads in horror. Suddenly, shots rang out from all sides. Peasants from three villages, mobilized quietly since morning, waiting for the squadron to leave, were not satisfied with the thunderous destruction of the manor. Hidden in the fences, they waited for the soldiers to dismount and scatter through the ruins; they hoped to easily defeat them then.
The calculation, though well thought out, failed. The shots were immediately answered with shots. Sheltered by the walls, the lancers did not spare bullets and aimed better than the peasants. A fierce, two-hour battle ensued, ending in complete victory for the lancers. Several dozen peasants were wounded, the rest, throwing down their weapons, fled in panic. [pp. 148 – 149]
(…) Less than two weeks later, on November 23 (1918, ed. HKG), peasants from the vicinity of Hryców revolted and arrested all the “lords” within a dozen versts radius. The imprisoned were brought to Hryców and locked in one large room in the spacious palace of Count Grocholski, – and over four thousand armed peasants stood under arms around the palace, awaiting further orders. The number of prisoners reached thirty: only representatives of the “landed gentry” system, from owners and major administrators to ordinary stewards and even field workers. They spent three long days in the empty hall of the ruined palace, with dull resignation awaiting terrible death.
The peasants standing guard gave them no food, but they did not spare continuous insults and abuse. Mercilessly mocking, they described with pleasure the various tortures to be inflicted on the prisoners before death.
“When will the fun begin?” the more nervously strong asked them.
“When they bring you all, – we still lack a father”…
The dreadful hecatomb of “landowners,” the monstrous spectacle born in the cruel, Eastern-tinged imagination of the Russian crowd, was not to be fulfilled. On the fourth day, before noon, cannons suddenly thundered around Hryców, and the hearts of the thirty condemned fluttered in a sharp spasm, then froze in anticipation. The Germans were coming to the rescue… The peasants standing guard grabbed knives, shouting: “First we’ll cut you all!” But the prisoners lost their resignation too, they grappled with the peasants. Under the windows, crowds fled in panic: “Save whoever believes in God!”
The guards dropped their knives and fled. The four-thousand-strong band, suddenly surprised, did not attempt to defend itself. With wild howling, under machine-gun fire, it scattered in all directions; many drowned in the pond. The prisoners were saved. [pp. 259 – 260]
Based on:Conflagration – Memories from Volhynia 1917-1919
Zofia Kossak-Szczucka
Krakowska Spółka Wydawnicza Kraków 1922