Righteous honoured in Kraków

KJ, 16 November 2016
More Polish Righteous were honoured on 19th November at the Schindler Factory Museum  in Kraków. The title was awarded posthumously to Anna Kaczmarczyk and Piotr Heleniak, Ludmiła Romanowicz, as well as Adrianna and Franciszek Tomek.

​Siblings Anna Kaczmarczyk and Piotr Heleniak, from the Ujście Jezuickie village (Małopolskie Province) hid nine escapees from the Żabna ghetto. They cared for them over 32 months, until liberation in January 1945. During the ceremony at the Schindler Factory Museum in Kraków, a clip from the film “Ostatnia generacja” (The Last Generation) was shown. The film features two rescued sisters telling their own story of rescue. The medal and certificates were accepted, on behalf of the recipients, by Anna Kaczmarczyk’s  granddaughters, Stanisława Niedźwiadek and Elżbieta Maciuszek.

Adrianna and Franciszek Tomeke, from Radziszów, saved the Wassermann family, Jews from z Tarnów. Adrianna Tomek’s nephew accepted the honour from two rescued from the Holocaust, Lidia Vos and Henry Wassermann, and their sister, Hela Yaniv.

Ludmiła Romanowicz from Kraków was also symbollically honoured. During the occupation, her home sheltered many Jewish families. As there were no family members to accept the award, it was returned to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.