Katharina Buczek
In 1993, Anna Semczuk and Ernestyna Wieruszewska both attended Warsaw High School in Poland. The seventeen-year-old girls were best friends, and both shared a love of mountain hiking.
So, on January 22, 1993, the pair decided to visit a mountain village known as Koscieliska and spend a few days exploring the region.
Plus, Ernestyna, who was very religious, had already spent some time in the area on past church group trips and knew of a place to stay.
And after renting a room at the same place, the girls’ trip got off to a great start. They spent three days hiking, taking advantage of their free time, and Anna even sent a postcard to her parents, sharing her joy.
“I am exhausted, but God be my witness, it is what I dreamed of,” Anna wrote on the postcard.
By January 27, though, Anna and Ernestyna’s parents received news that no parent ever wants to hear. They learned that their daughters had left their room the night before and never returned.
Apparently, the girls had told their host that they were visiting Zakopane, a nearby town, to purchase a return bus ticket. They were supposed to be traveling home the next day.
However, all of Anna and Ernestyna’s belongings were left behind– including their money, documents, and even their camera. On top of that, their warm clothing and raincoats were also left behind.
This led authorities to believe it was unlikely that the girls went for a hike since there was inclement weather affecting the mountain region. And being that the girls had already hiked in the Tatry mountains before, they knew just how treacherous the weather could be.
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