Krzysztof Dunin-Wąsowicz Passes Away

KJ, 16 November 2016
Krzysztof Dunin-Wąsowicz, famous history professor and varsavianista, has died. During World War II, he was active in the underground, a soldier in the  Home Army (AK)  and aided Jews for which he was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations. He was 90 years old.

Dunin-Wąsowicz was born in Warsaw, into a family of intellectuals, in January 1923. His father was a journalist, his mother a pedagigue and columnist. Dunin-Wąsowicz graduated from the Żoliborza Junior High School and from the Fr. Józef Poniatowski Senior High School. He matriculated during the War at an underground school. He then studied in the clandestine classes of Warsaw University, studies which he completed in 1946.

During the War, he was active in the underground, fought in the ranks of the Home Army, was a member of the Płomienie (Flames) socialist organisation and helped the Jewish population. He worked together with the Bund and with the Council to Aid Jews (Żegota).

His entire family was active i helping Jews. During the occupation, many Jewish friends found shelter in the Żoliborz home of the Dunin-Wąsowicz family. Janina, Krzysztof’s mother, helped Jews at a canteen which she ran for Central Social Welfare Council in Żoliborz. His father, Władysław, as treasurer of the Secret Journalism Commission (Tajna Komisja Dziennikarska), distributed allowances to Jews.

Amnongst those whom they helped were Aleksander Artymowicz (real name Moryc Gelber), the Motyk family (Teichorn) from Drohobycz, as well as people who found their way to the Central Social Welfare Council kitchen, amongst whom were Jewish children who had escaped from the ghetto and who were wandering the streets of Żoliborz.

Depite the threats of blackmailers, the Dunin-Wąsowicz family continued their underground activitiy. Following the denunciation of the family, his parents were sent to Pawiak prison, while Krzysztof and his brother Marek were transported to a camp in Stutthof.

After theWar, Professor Dunin-Wąsowicz was active in the Związek Niezależnej Młodzieży Socjalistycznej (Independent Union of Socialist Youth) and PPS (Polish Socialist Party). He also took part in meetings of the free-thinking Klub Krzywego Koła (The Crooked Wheel Club), amongst whom was also Prof. Władysław Bartoszewski.

In 1982, the Yad Vashem Institute honoured Krzysztof Dunin-Wąsowicz, as well as his mother Janina, with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. In 2007, for helping Jews during World War II, the professor was awarded theCommander’s Cross and Star of the Order of Polish Revival (Krzyż Komandorski z Gwiazdą Orderu Odrodzenia Polski) by President Lech Kaczyński.

The story of the help provided to Jews by the Dunin-Wąsowicz family, as well as fragments of an interview with the professor, can be found HERE.