Antoni Kusiński, born in Puzniki, a policeman from Ternopil, who, together with other officers, was murdered by the NKVD in 1940.

Antoni Kusiński - born on 23 February 1900 in Puźniki. He was the son of Wojciech and Helena née Koryznów. Between 1907 and 1913, he completed Primary School in Puzniki. In 1927, he graduated from the Jan Kochanowski Trade School. He trained as a tradesman, and worked as a clerk in the District Health Insurance Fund in Nadvyn. During the First World War Antoni was called up to the army, more specifically to the 32nd Rifle Regiment, which was stationed in Bochnia. Together with the 32nd Rifle Regiment, Antoni fought on the Italian front. After Poland regained its independence, he was sent to the 51st Infantry Regiment of Border Riflemen, which was being formed in Italy, to a sanitary company in the rank of platoon sergeant. In 1921, he was demobilised. From 16 May 1923, he was married to Maria Łuczyńska (née Legidowicz), the widow of Marian Łuczyński, a police officer. From this marriage he had children: Antoni (b. 1924), Jan (b. 1925), Teresa (b. 1926), Ryszard (b. 1928), Stanisława (b. 1930), Mari (b. 1933) and Marian (b. 1935). On 19 September 1923 he was appointed constable at the Police Station in Skalat. On 1 September 1928 he was appointed senior constable and in 1934 he was promoted to foreman (equivalent to sergeant). During an action that took place on 12 October 1931, he was shot but recovered quickly. In 1936 he was sent to work for the Commissariat in Ternopil, more specifically for the Investigation Office as a clerical worker. In October 1938 Antoni was transferred to the Economic Department of the Ternopil Provincial Police Station, where he worked in the office. During his service he was decorated with: Commemorative Medal for the War 1918-1921, 10th Anniversary Medal of Regaining Independence, Bronze Medal for Long Service, and Bronze Cross of Merit.

After the Soviet invasion, on 17 September 1939, all employees of the Ternopil Command were summoned to lay down their arms. Some did not turn up for the summons, unfortunately not Anthony. He believed that he was in no danger because, as a prisoner of war, he was protected by international law. However, he did not know that the Soviets had not signed this convention. Antoni was then sent to Ostashkov.

What was the ultimate fate of Antoni and his colleagues?

The victims of the crime were imprisoned after the USSR's aggression against Poland on 17 September 1939 by the NKVD and were initially held in a prisoner of war camp in Ostashkov. From 5 April to 14 May 1940, the prisoners were murdered in the NKVD Regional Board prison in Kalinin (now Tver). The corpses were then transported by truck and dumped in mass pits near the town of Mednoye, some 32 km from the city. Some 6,600 police officers lie there.

Compiled by: Konrad Zaleski on the basis of Antoni Kusinski's file, provided by Maciej Dancewicz, on the basis of news from a presentation about Antoni from the website:http://slideplayer.pl/slide/400344/?fbclid=IwAR07JAVkRCm_f_3uPz75q3JiXUEfFXvp-nzZt8ldrWXZ3eYSZCHPHDRZsMM, and on the basis of information from the public domain