The ceremony of awarding thirteen Poles with the Righteous Among the Nations medals

KD, 16 November 2016
The ceremony of awarding thirteen Poles with the Righteous Among the Nations medals and diplomas took place on 10th September 2009 in the Nożyk Synagogue in Warsaw. The Yad Vashem Institute honored posthumously Stanisława and Roman Kasprzak, Marianna Laska, Zofia and Piotr Golański, Helena and Julian Stolarski, Halina Soroczyńska and Stanisława Wieczorek. Also Zofia Bublik (daughter of the Kasprzak) and Stanisław Laska (son of Marianna) who are still alive, were honored.


The testimonies given by the Rescued and the Righteous when they were receiving their honors were very touching. Mrs. Ruth Letan and Mrs. Zofia Bublik (maiden name Kasprzak) told the story of how the Kasprzak family decided to take care of a 6-year-old girl Rita-Ruth. One of Rita’s cousins delivered cakes from the ghetto to the cake shop in which Zofia worked. Having heard from him about the little girl, the 17-year old Zofia decided – practically without hesitation – to take care of Rita.

Prof. Dov Weissberg told about the miracle that had happened in 1944 in Częstochowa. He in a camp for refugees after the Warsaw Uprising – orphaned, ill and starved. Stanisława and Józef Wieczorek invited the 15-year-old boy to their house, a one-room hut, already inhabited by five adults.

Mrs. Aviva Osri, rescued by the Golański and the Stolarski families, gave her testimony in English but she said one sentence – directed particularly to the youth gathered in the Synagogue – in Polish: “There are times when one has to be a hero to remain a human being.” 

Also, during the ceremony, the Righteous Among the Nations - Hanna Morawiecka  received an honorary citizenship of Israel.

The ceremony was preceded by speeches from Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, His Excellency Zwi-Rav Ner, the Ambassador of Israel and Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, the Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland.