I Am First a Human Being: The Prison Letters of Krystyna Wituska (Paperback)

~ Irene Tomaszewski (Editor)

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Product Description

On the eve of World War II a carefree, rather spoiled teenager, Krystyna Wituska, returned to Poland from her school in Switzerland. Evicted from their estate when the Germans invaded Poland, the family fled to Warsaw where Krystyna, by then 20 years old, found work, continued her studies in secret, and drifted into the Resistance. By her own admission, she was attracted at first by the adventure of it, but youthful bravado soon turned into a mental and spiritual mastery over fear.

By late 1941 Krystyna joined the precursor of the Polish Underground and because she spoke fluent German, was assigned to an espionage cell in Warsaw to collect information on German airforce movements at Warsaw's airport. In 1942, at the age of twenty-one she was arrested and interrogated by the Gestapo. She was transferred to prison in Berlin and executed two years later. In the last year of her life Krystyna wrote over sixty poignant letters which through the kindness of a courageous prison guard were smuggled to her parents or to the guard's daughter, who became her pen pal. From the moment she was arrested, Krystyna would not allow her spirit to be broken and believed that "the noble that is within us will not perish." In the time that was left to her she revelled in the pleasures that were uniquely human-learning languages, treasuring the poems of her prison friends-the sun caressing her face during a brief outing was "better than a kiss." With love and compassion Krystyna wrote not just about herself but about all those who shared her fate. The letters read like a story in which the reader shares Krystyna's hopes and anxieties as one by one the fate of the prisoners is decided. After the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler ordered mandatory death sentences for all spies. As her end approached, Kyrstyna was more concerned about her parents than she was with herself. She exhorts her mother to hold her head high and to have courage, no matter what: "When you smile, I smile with you, but when you cry, I cry with you."

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Polish

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Vehicule Press (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550650955
• ISBN-13: 978-1550650952
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,823,448 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable, April 7, 2003

By A Customer

This collection of letters is an unforgettable glance into the world of a girl condemned to die at the hands of the Nazi's. Sent from the various prisons she was held during World War II, this collection of letters to her friends and family bring to life the realities of her situation and are an intimate look into her pain and happiness during the last years of her short life. I found I could relate to Krystyna because I am a young woman who's family went through the horrors of being Polish during Hitler's reign. But for everyone I think what Krystyna had to say will be equally moving. Though it only took me a few hours to read, this book is no less an important literary experience. Krystyna's insights into life, friendship, religion, war and nationalism are beautiful and inspiring. Her courage and spirit are moving. Hopefully this book will inspire all those who read it to enjoy and relish all the days that we have on this earth and not waste them in ignorance, selfishness or hate. I only wish it was longer!