Professor Bartoszewski as Remembered by His Friends - an Invitation

, 16 November 2016
Professor Władysław Bartoszewski, the outstanding Polish politician, social activist, historian and great friend of the Jewish people passed away on 24th April 2015. The Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN invites you to a screening of the film "The Story of Żegota", featuring the Professor himself, and to meet the creator of the film and other invited guests.


A few months ago, when Zofia Kunert produced this film, the Professor was the last surviving member of the Żegota organisation. This was to be the final film in which he would be involved.

In Warsaw, at the end of 1942, at the peak of the terror of occupation, only a few tens of thousands of Jews remained in the ghetto. The underground Żegota organisation, endeavoured to save and provide help to those hiding on the "Aryan side”.

Who were these people, motivated by humanitarianism, who risked their lives in order to save others? What decisions were they required to make? Where did they obtain the bread? How did Jewish children cope with suddenly being torn away from their parents and thrown into a strange environment?

 As well as Professor Bartoszewski, those rescued - Prof. Marian Apfelbaum, Elżbieta Ficowska, Katarzyna Meloch, Prof. Michał Głowiński, Ruta Wermuth, Jan Karpiński, Henrietta Kretz and Icchak Lewin - answer these questions. More than one says directly, ”I'm alive because they helped me".

Following the film, Professor Bartoszewski will be remembered by Zofia Kunert, Michał Komar, Prof. Andrzej Kunert and Prof. Adam Rotfeld.

 Admission is free, but places are limited.

27th May 2015, 8:00 pm, "The Story of Żegota”, directed by Zofia Kunert, 2015,

 A production of BWM Art., Fundacja Współpracy Polsko-Niemieckiej, Telewizja Polska S.A., Narodowe Centrum Kultury