European Day of the righteous: Jews saved over 2,000 sisters

“Exactly 2,345 religious sisters from different communities supported the Jewish population,” sister Monika Kupczewska told the community of the Holy Heart of Jesus. “We can draw a map of the rescue efforts that are densely littered with cloaks that helped,” she added. “The largest number, 56 communities, belonged to the Franciscan sisters of the Mary family. However, many other communities were also involved in this support. “

The religious sisters who saved Jews acted primarily out of love for God and their fellow human beings. “These sisters said that this was their only motivation. Nobody forced her to help, ”emphasized Sister Kupczewska. Many of the sisters involved in the rescue of Jews did not consider their actions to be unusual. “I looked at these sisters who said modestly:” We didn't do anything extraordinary. We couldn't help but save these children when they are confronted with the cruelty of the Second World War, “recalled Sister Kupczewska, the assistant professor at the Center for Research on the Historical Geography of the Church in Poland at the Catholic University of Johannes Paul II.

The investigations carried out by the historical commission have made it possible to create a detailed map of the rescue efforts, which marks the monasteries and institutions involved in the rescue of Jews. Among the communities involved in these efforts were the Franciscan sisters of the Maria family, the sisters of the Holy Heart of Jesus, the Albertine sisters, the daughters of charity, the Felikiker sisters, the Ursuline sisters and many others. “There was no religious community in Poland who encountered the topic of the support of hidden Jews during the occupation,” Sister Kupczewska quoted Władysław Bartoszewski, a historian and activist, Auschwitz Survivor.

An example of heroism: Przemyśl

An example of the heroic efforts of the sisters is the history of the sisters of the Holy Heart in Przemyśl. “In our case it was an orphanage where the sisters saved thirteen Jewish children,” said sister Kupczewska.

“Sometimes the parents came and asked for help, sometimes children were left behind on monastery doors, and sometimes older children fled from the ghetto,” she added. The sisters not only provided protection, but also changed the identity of the children to protect them from German persecution. “They saved the children by changing their names, writing new documents and even wearing off in religious habits,” said Sister Kupczewska.

The price of heroism

Unfortunately, not all rescue efforts were successful. Among those who paid the highest price – the price of their own life – for the support of Jews were twelve religious sisters. Four of them were beaten by the Catholic Church as a martyr.

First English -language monograph to support the clergy in Poland

The Abraham J. Heschel Center for Catholic-Jewish relationships at the Catholic University Lublin published the first English-language monograph in which the support of the Jews during the Holocaust was examined by Polish clergymen as part of their documentation work. The two -volume work entitled “Wartime Rescue of Jews by the Polish Catholic clergy” was written by lawyer Ryszard Tyndorf and published by Kul Press. It is available online for free

The book over 1,200 pages mainly contains testimonies from Jews who were saved by religious sisters and priests in Poland during the Holocaust. It contains an index in which thousands of cities and the names of survivors and rescuers are listed.