“Righteous in Polish Schools”

Between June and November 2010 researchers travelling throughout Poland talked with inhabitants of little towns and villages like Szprudów, Stróża, Myszków and Cezaryn.

Numerous stories of people honored with the title “Righteous Among the Nations” have been gathered, as well as several dozen of unique video recordings and hundreds of archival photos.

Most of the materials are available on the website www.sprawiedliwi.org.pl. 

One of the stories recorded as part of the project “Righteous in Polish schools” is the story of Ms Boś from a small village near Kraśnik.

From 1942 until the end of the occupation her family sheltered the Edelsteins, their five children and four other Jewish escapees. They all survived the Second World War and left Poland. Until this day they have remained in contact with their rescuers who were attacked and whose house was burnt because of the help they offered to the Jews.

The main goal of the project was to reach such people from small towns, often living in solitude and oblivion, and to involve them in the life of the local community.

The project “Righteous in Polish Schools” is an effect of our belief that acts of people who risked their lives and the lives of their families to save another person are a perfect model in patriotic education and help preserve the historical bond between generations.

During the project, we have encouraged teachers to organize in their schools “The Day of the Righteous”, which could take the form of a meeting with the Righteous, a project carried out by the students or a “visit” of the virtual exhibition.

The main goal was to motivate the students to meet an unknown hero, often a close neighbor. The ideas for “The Day of the Righteous” were born during the October training for teachers. 

The virtual exhibition will be used as an educational tool in the project. It presents the stories of the Righteous illustrated by short films, the multimedia presentation “Faces of the Righteous”, as well as photos and drawings of hiding places where Jews were living. The exhibition is supplemented by sets of exercises for students.

Download the educational materials and watch the virtual exhibition.  

The project was carried out in cooperation with the Polish Society of the Righteous Among the Nations and with the Association of “Children of the Holocaust” in Poland. The members of these organizations shared their long-standing experience in educating about the Holocaust and the Righteous Among the Nations.

The project is financially supported by the Governmental Program - Civic Initiatives Fund. It is co-financed by the Ministry of Polish Culture and Heritage. This project is financially supported by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland as part of the Promoting Knowledge About Poland program.