Bitschanowa Maria

Bitschanowa, Maria During the occupation, Maria Bitschanowa owned a small estate in the village of Kadlubiska, not far from the town of Brody, in eastern Galicia. Bitschanowa, a lonely widow whose daughter and young son had died, was a teacher and community worker. Among her acquaintances were Dr. Chaim Weiss (her doctor), his wife Rivka (originally from Kadlubiska), and their daughter Hadassa Estera (later Natan), who used to spend her holidays with her grandmother in Kadlubiska. In February 1942, after two Aktionen in Brody, the Weiss family left town, and began wandering through the countryside. Bitschanowa had them traced and brought back, and invited them to stay with her. Before their arrival, Bitschanowa prepared a hideaway for them under some loose floorboards under her bed, camouflaged by a carpet, for use in times of emergency. Bitschanowa’s estate was perched on a hill some distance from the village, and she could see any suspicious movement in the area from her kitchen window. At any sign of approaching danger, Bitschanowa gave the signal for the family to take cover, until she gave the “all clear” signal by tapping on the floor. One day, Bitschanowa was visited by a local priest, who tried to persuade her to hand over the Jews, and even offered to do so on her behalf. Bitschanowa, however, refused to rise to the bait, and vehemently denied the presence of Jews in her home. Despite her meager resources, Bitschanowa refused to accept payment from the Weiss family, and shared her home with them at considerable personal risk. Sofia Buhaj (see related entry, Ukraine), Bitschanowa’s maid, was the only other person to know of the Weiss family’s existence. The Weiss family stayed with Bitschanowa for about twenty months, until the area was liberated by the Red Army. After it became known that Bitschanowa had hidden Jews in her home, a gang of Ukrainian nationalists broke into her estate brandishing pitchforks, knives and clubs. Bitschanowa, who saw themapproaching from the window, suffered a stroke and died on the spot. After the rioters had destroyed her home, a steamroller was brought in to level the ground and eliminate any trace of the “traitor” who had sheltered Jews. After she immigrated to Israel, Hadassa-Estera Natan published a book called the “The Cherry Tree” which bore the following dedication: “In memory of Maria Bitschanowa, my generous benefactress, and her Ukrainian maid Zofia Buhaj, who saved me from destruction.” On November 5, 1991, Yad Vashem recognized Maria Bitschanowa as Righteous Among the Nations.