Exhumation works at a burial mound at a former Evangelical cemetery in Kargowa, West Poland, revealed a mass grave containing remains of 12 individuals, including 2 children.

The site was investigated by members of the Pomost Association, who were informed about a burial mound which used to be visible at the site after World War Two, but became unrecognisable as time progressed. The unmarked mound was said to measure around two by three metres. The researchers have unearthed remains of 12 individuals within a singe mass grave – nine women, a man, and two children. According to the archaeologists, remains of only one of the individuals bear marks of a violent death. The a women possibly committed a suicide.

By one of these individuals eight gold coins were discovered, which were probably hidden within this person’s clothes. The researchers will try to identify the people buried there. At this stage it is believed that the male individual might have been a German soldier. The local stories identify them as people killed as the Red Army took over the town during final months of WWII on January 29th, 1945. Many executions, rapes, robberies, and arsons are said to have followed. Over 20 people are reported to have been executed by firing squad and many more killed themselves by hanging.

(after Gazeta Lubuska & Stowarzyszenie Pomost)