Righteous Medal Award Ceremony in Skępe

Mateusz Szczepaniak, 16 November 2016
The late Antoni Puszkiewicz was posthumously honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations at a ceremony held on 8th October 2015 at the Municipal Schools Administration in Skępe. Among those who took part in the ceremony were the Deputy Israeli Ambassador to Poland, Ruth Cohen-Dar, Antoni Puszkiewicz's grandchildren and the daughter of Faye Lewkowicz, one of those who was saved.

Duringthe War, Antoni Puszkiewicz (1882-1945) lived in the village of Bógzapłać. Despite the threat of the death penalty, he took, into his home, two Jewish women from Skępe - Felę Pozmanter (now k/a Faye Lewkowicz) and her mother, Rywka Pozmanter (nee Zamoskiewicz). Over several months, he hid them until the women's hiding place was discovered by the Germans. Antoni Puszkiewicz, and his son Bolesław, were arrested and sent to the Stutthof concentration camp. Antoni perished there as prisoner No.63808.

The award was accepted by Antoni's grandchildren Hanna Dywicka, Teodor Kowalewski and Kazimierz Kowalewski. The medal was presented by Israeli Deputy Ambassador Ruth Cohen-Dar, accompanied by Faye Lewkowicz and Mrs Frances Kummer from Israel.