70th Anniversary of the Murder of the Ulma Family and the Jews Whom They Were Hiding

, 16 November 2016
On 24th March in Rzeszów, Łańcut as well as Markowa, the 70th anniversary was observed of the death of the Ulma family, who were murdered for helping Jews during the Holocaust. A ceremonial mass was held in Markowa. Rzeszów held an academic conferenc and in Łańcut, a street was named in the family’s honour.

On the morning of  24th March 1944, in the village of Markow, German military police murdered eight Jews from the Szall and Goldman families, and those who were hiding them -  Józef Ulma and his eight-month pregnant wife, Wiktorię. The Germans also killed the six Ulma children - Stanisława, Barbara, Władysław, Franciszek, Antoni and Maria. In 1995, the Yad Vashem Institute posthumously honoured Józef and Wiktoria Ulma with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. A process for their beatification was commenced in 2003.

Ceremonies in remembrance of the tragic deaths of the Ulma family and of the Jews they were hiding began, at 9:00am, in Łańcut, where the ”Ulma Family Street” was officially opened. The newly created street links Traugutt and Mościcki Streets. The street was opened by Stanisław Gwizdak, Mayor of Łańcut.

The main part of the commemorations took place later in Markowa. A Mass was celebrated by Archbishop of Przemyśl, Józef Michalik. Following the service, flowers were laid and candles were lit at the Ulma family monument. Local government representatives took part in the ceremony.

That same day, in Rzeszów, an international academic confernce was held on the subject of aid, by the Righteous Among the Nations, extended to Jews in Central-Eastern Europe during World War II. The conference was organised by the Podkarpackie Provincial Speaker’s Office, the Institute of National Remembrance, the Historical Institute of Rzeszów University and the Higher School of Technology and Economics in Jarosław. Research papers were presented by Prof. Wacław Wierzbieniec, Dr Ihor Szczupak (Dnepropetrovsk), Dr Peter Borza (Preszów), Prof. Antonio Faur (Oradea), Marta Ansilewska (Berlin), Dr Hania M. Fedorowicz (Salzburg), Dr Mateusz Szpytma and Dr Elżbieta Rączy. The Museum’s Klara Jackl, then gave a short presentation of activities connected with ”The Polish Righteous – Recalling Forgotten History” project.

The Ulma Family Museum is to be constructed in Markowa. It will be situated in a square dedicated to the heroic deeds of the Ulma family and close to 1,700 other inhabitants of the Podkarpackie Province who, during German occupation, provided aid to Jews. The Museum is planned to open in 2015.