Anna Wołowska Honoured by the President of Poland

Mateusz Szczepaniak, 4 February 2017
By a decision of the Polish President, dated 26th January 2017, Anna Wołowska, Righteous Among the Nations, was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Revival of Poland. The award was presented by Wojciech Kolarski, Undersecretary of State of the Office of the Polish President.

Anna Wołowska was born on 19th October 1925 in Warsaw. During World War II, her mother's friend Dr Jadwiga Wawrzyńska-Pągowska was active with the Council to Aid Jews "Żegota".

In 1943, Jadwiga took a small Jewish child into her home. That child was Izabela Szymel, who had earlier been in an orphanage. Not heeding the danger that was associated with seeing her patients inside her own apartment, Jadwiga also gave shelter to Ewa Appel. At that time, she was helped by her seventeen year Anna, who lived in her apartment.

Izabela lived in Pągowska's apartment until May 1944 when, due to the dangers, she was forced to leave for Otwock, where she stayed until war's end. Ewa Appel perished during the Warsaw Uprising.

In 1996, Jadwiga Wawrzyńska-Pągowska  was honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. Two years later Anna Wołowska was honoured with the same title.