Kołoszko Antoni & Maria (Krasowska)

Kołoszko Antoni Kołoszko Maria Antoni and Maria Kołoszko, from the town of Brańsk (Bielsk County, Białystok District), were among a group of farmers in the region who were assisting Jews that were hiding in the local forests, farmer families such as the Filińskis*, Krawczykowiczes*, and Laskowskis*. Antoni was living with his family on the outskirts of Brańsk and made a living from farming and making wagon wheels. Before the war, he had business relations with some of the local Jews. Some of his Jewish friends, such as Józef Brojde and Zew Halperin, were welcome guests in his home. Antoni did not sever his ties with his Jewish acquaintances when they were incarcerated in the ghetto and did not abandon them in their time of need. In 1943, a group of Jewish fugitives from the Brańsk ghetto and the area who were hiding in the forests, sought to join a newly organized unit of Russian partisans. However, they lacked weapons. This was a crucial problem: partisan units refused to accept Jews who did not have their own weapons. Józef and Zew contacted their old friend, Antoni, and asked him to obtain weapons for them. He supplied them with various firearms and ammunition. In addition, he and his wife, Maria, also occasionally provided them with food and warm clothing, and asked nothing in return. On January 6, 2002, Yad Vashem recognized Antoni and Maria Kołoszko as Righteous Among the Nations. File: 9514