Righteous Wanda Grostal (née Maringe) Passes Away

Mateusz Szczepaniak, 16 November 2016
With great sorrow, we advise of the passing, on 28th August 2016, of Wanda Grostal, aged 96, a Righteous Among the Nations and a recipient of the Commanders Cross of the Order of Polish Revival. The funeral service will take place on 6th September 2016, at 12 noon, at St. Karol Boromeusz church, at Old Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

Wanda Grostal was born on 23rd June 1920 in Poznań. Her family originated from France. During World War II, they were evicted from their property in the former Poznański Province and they lived in the village of Zuzanka near Warsaw (today it is called Jadwinin).

In 1941, Wanda's father hired a German language teacher for his younger daughters. His name was Tadeusz Grostal. He was hiding under false papers bearing the name "Teodor Hanke". The family knew that he was Jewish. His mother was also in hiding on the "Aryan side", while his father remained in the Warsaw ghetto, which he did not wish to leave.

Tadeusz was the same age as Wanda 21 years old. They soon began to have feelings for each other and, in 1942, they were married. From that time, they were under the threat of being denounced by the Polish police. They moved to lived elsewhere and changed their surname. Together, they survived the War.

In 1989, Wanda Grostal was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations which was awarded on the testimony of her husband whom she helped to survive. Read more about this story of help.