Warsaw, 30 March: The National Remembrance Institute has commenced an investigation into the murder of Jews in Radzilow [northeastern Poland] that took place on 7 July 1941, three days before the events in nearby Jedwabne. "According to initial findings, between 600 and 800 victims were murdered in Radzilow, by being burnt to death in a barn and also by being shot," PAP has been told by Witold Kulesza, head of the investigations section of the IPN. He added that the name of the locality Radzilow appears in the testimony of certain witnesses whose accounts relate to Jedwabne. "That is why the need has arisen to issue a separate decision for an investigation into the atrocity in Radzilow. It could be that a need will arise to gather documentation concerning similar events that took place in other localities," Kulesza added.

The murder of the Jews in Radzilow took place on 7 July 1941, three days before the murders in Jedwabne. "The hypothesis has been taken up that the events in Radzilow had a similar course to the events in Jedwabne. The closeness in time gives a basis for positing such a hypothesis," Kulesza evaluated.

That there would be a commencement of an investigation concerning the murder in Radzilow (on the territory of which the same German unit was active as in Jedwabne) was announced in mid-March by the IPN chairman, Leon Kieres. He explained that many witnesses testifying in the IPN investigation concerning Jedwabne were saying that a similar murder of Jews as there had taken place in Radzilow...

Source: PAP news agency, Warsaw, in Polish 1049 GMT 30 Mar 01

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