The Righteous were honored in Rymanów

Michał Lorenc from the association “Meeting Rymanów” said that there are at least a few examples of heroes rescuing Jews during the Holocaust near Rymanów. “It was Piotr Bolanowski together with his mother, who was hiding his friend Izyk – he did not manage to save him. Someone probably noticed Izyk and caught him when he left his hiding place. He was tortured and unfortunately he admitted who had been hiding him”. That is why the Nazis also arrested Piotr Bolanowski. “His mother came to beg them to free him. She said the harvest was coming and the boy needed to help. However, the Nazis arrested her too. The three of them were shot” – adds Lorenc.

Another person who died rescuing Jews was Olga Bychowik, who was hiding two Jewish children. A neighbor probably denounced her. Olga was killed together with the children.

During the unveiling of the plaque, the figure of Rev. Jan Zawrzycki was also recalled. He was honored by the Yad Vashem Institute with the title “Righteous Among the Nations”. Rev. Zawrzycki rescued many Jewish children during the Second World War – he used to place them in orphanages. According to the local legend, before finding a place for the children in an orphanage, he would hide them in the bell tower of the Rymanów church.

Among the people who participated in the ceremony were: the US Consul Chris Ausdenmoore, the Chief Rabbi of Kraków Boaz Pash, the press spokesman of the Embassy of Israel, representatives of the Institute of National Remembrance, Jews rescued from the Holocaust and members of the families of the rescued, who came from Israel, the US and Switzerland.