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Poles murdered by Nazis honored for helping Jews

30.10.2024 11:00
Two Poles who were killed by the Nazis for saving Jews during World War II have been commemorated by the Pilecki Institute in the village of Zwola, about 90 kilometers south of Warsaw.
Two Poles murdered by the Nazis for saving Jews during World War II have been honored by the state-run Pilecki Institute, which aims to preserve historical memory and raise awareness of 20th-century totalitarianism.
Two Poles murdered by the Nazis for saving Jews during World War II have been honored by the state-run Pilecki Institute, which aims to preserve historical memory and raise awareness of 20th-century totalitarianism.Aharon Luria/unsplash.com/CC0

The unveiling of a plaque bearing the names of Józef Suchecki and Jan Wolski took place as part of the Zawołani po imieniu (Called by Name) program, which honors Poles who were murdered for helping Jews during the war.

Suchecki and Wolski were killed on August 17, 1943, for hiding Jews who had escaped from a ghetto in Gniewoszów, in central-eastern Poland.

Wojciech Kozłowski from the Pilecki Institute highlighted their bravery and "decision to oppose German oppression."

Regional official Krzysztof Wolski emphasized the importance of remembering "lesser-known heroes" such as Suchecki and Wolski, who paid the ultimate price for helping their Jewish neighbors.

The ceremony was attended by Suchecki's great-grandchildren Dorota Makles and Robert Adach, who expressed pride in their ancestor's courage and willingness to help others.

They said they had learned about their great-grandfather's fate through family stories, making their participation in the commemoration all the more meaningful.

Both recalled Suchecki as "a good man who selflessly helped others in need."

To date, the state-run Pilecki Institute has unveiled 97 plaques honoring Poles who were murdered by the Nazis for saving Jews.

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Source: IAR/IP, wszystkoconajwazniejsze.pl