International Women's Day

They were resourceful, courageous and inventive. At a time when death threatened them at every step, they risked their own lives for others. Discover inspiring stories about women, both Polish and Jewish, who showed extraordinary courage during the German occupation. The participation and role of women in history are generally forgotten or overlooked in historical narratives. Therefore, marking International Women’s Day, we have prepared a selection of “herstories”. These are stories of Polish women who, at the risk of their lives, offered selfless help to Jews during the Holocaust. They are stories of Jewish women, who were determined to save themselves and others. These biographies include caregivers and rescuers acting on their own, as well as liaison officers and couriers working in underground organisations. Finally, they are stories about sisterhood and motherhood, about Jewish mothers and grandmothers, who saved their children and grandchildren from the Holocaust. Learn about their lives on the Polish Righteous portal, view artifacts and listen to oral history interviews from the collections of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.