Debate „The Righteous and the Unrecognized Rescuers: The Brothers Andrzej and Klemens Szeptycki”

The discussion was organized by the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Foundation of the Szeptycki Family and the “Polityka” weekly. It was moderated by Adam Szostkiewicz.

In this event participated: the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld, the former Polish Ambassador to Israel Dr. Maciej Kozłowski, the president of the Borderland Spiritual Culture Foundation Fr Dr. Stefan Batruch. The introduction was delivered by Marian Turski, chairman of the Council of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, editor of the "Polityka" weekly.

The discussion was devoted to the brothers Klemens and Andrzej Szeptycki, who jointly rescued at least 150 people, among them Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld and Dr. Dawid Kahan, who after the Second World War became chief rabbi of the Polish Army, and later chief rabbi of the Israeli air force.

The participants of the debate tried to answer the question: why did the Yad Vashem Institute – in spite of numerous testimonies delivered by Jews – repeatedly reject the proposals put forward by the people rescued by Andrzej Szeptycki. 

As Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld remarked, this case somehow undermines the authority of Yad Vashem, in that case probably basing its decision on the stereotypical image of Szeptycki as collaborator and supporter of the Nazis.

In effect, Andrzej Szeptycki, who had been hiding two Jewish rabbis in his palace and asked all monasteries within his jurisdiction to shelter Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish orphans – has not been honored for saving Jews to this day.

It is only the blessed Father Klemens Szeptycki who was posthumously honored with the title “Righteous Among the Nations” in 1995.

Another important element of the discussion was the attempt to understand the most controversial part of Andrzej Szeptycki’s story: his support for the Germans.

Dr. Kozłowski emphasized two important historical aspects crucial for the understanding of the controversy concerning this subject: the heterogeneity of the national identity during the interwar period and the fact that in 1941 the Germans were still seen in a completely different light than later, when the Holocaust already took place.

Dr. Kozłowski also remarked that at the beginning of the occupation, the Germans could have seemed to be the hope for the founding of an independent Ukraine.

During the debate after the panel, the correspondent of “Die Welt” Gerhard Gnauck compared the controversy accompanying the discussion on the awarding of the title “Righteous Among the Nations” to Szeptycki to those that accompanied Wilhelm Hosenfeld, who rescued Władysław Szpilman (he was finally honored with the title in 2008).

About the Foundation of the Szeptycki Family.

Read the article “The Righteous are Among Us…” by Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld, devoted to the Szeptycki brothers.

The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Polish Culture and Heritage