Professor Jerzy Szacki Passes Away

Jerzy Szacki was born in Warsaw on 6th February 1929. From mid-way through 1942 until the Warsaw Uprising, Irena Hollander (in her twenties) and her five year old daughter were hidden in his family's home on ul. Miodowa. At the time, Irena was in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

In a 2007 interview with the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Prof. Szacki recalled, "The story isn't full of dramatic tales of blackmailers, home invasions and the like - apart from the constant fear that someone might come. But no one came. That threat was constant. It was mostly psychological”.

To neighbours and friends who came visiting the Szacki family, Irena was introduced as a relative who had been displaced from Polish territory which had been incorporated into the Third Reich. She had a so-called "good appearance". After the War, she and her husband lived in Łódż, from where they left for Israel in 1946. She remained in contact with the Szacki family.

"When you're fifteen years old, you believe that you're immortal and life during wartime is risky anyway", said Jerzy Szacki. "Many people died by chance, even though they exercised care to the maximum, while many who took risks survived."

In 1948, he began his sociology studies at Warsaw University, but was unable to finish due to the department being closed by the Stalinist authorities in 1952. He returned to his studies when the department was reopened in 1956 . Three years later, he gained his doctorate and then his habilitation in 1965. He became a professor in 1973. He joined the ranks of the Warsaw School of the HIstory of Ideas where he was active, in the 1950's and 1960's, within groups of philosophers, historians and sociologists.

In 2004, Jerzy Szacki and his mother, Barbara, were honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations, which was awarded on the basis of testimony by Irena Hollander. Read more about this story of aid.