HONORARY CITIZENSHIP OF ISRAEL FOR STANISŁAWA WŁODARZ

Mrs. Włodarz and her parents, Marianna and Stanisław Szlam, were awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations in 1988. The honour was bestowed on them for the help that they provided for Jewish people who escaped from a transport to Treblinka. In the winter of 1942 they gave shelter to two Jews, Mosze Lichter and his cousin Mordechaj, who were later joined by their two cousins, Róża and Czesia. Stanisława Włodarz, a teenager at the time, brought them food and spent a lot of time with them.

After the war, Mosze Lichter wanted to bequeath all his property to the Szlam family before leaving for Israel, but they declined. Years later, the Jews saved by the family petitioned to Yad Vashem, asking the institution to honour the Szlams with the Righteous Among the Nations title. Recently, the daughter of Mordechaj Lichter, Michaela Liniał, came forward with the idea of honouring Mrs. Stanisława with honorary citizenship of Israel.

The official diploma was handed to Mrs. Włodarz by Israel's Ambassador to Poland, Zvi Rav-Ner. The ceremony was also attended by the President of Częstochowa, Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk, representatives of local authorities and pupils from several schools in Częstochowa. Mrs. Włodarz gave a short speech, recounting the story of her family and the help they provided for the Jews.