In October–November 1939, as part of the Intelligenzaktion, the German gendarmerie and Selbstschutz carried out mass arrests of local Poles, including the town's mayor. Arrested Poles were then murdered by the Germans in large massacres, including in nearby Paterek.
During October–November 1939, as part of Operation Intelligenzaktion, German authorities rounded up and killed hundreds of Polish civilians, including the town's leader, in a series of brutal massacres that took place near Paterek.