Ciepły Jan

Ciepły, Jan During the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto in March 1943, Mayer Goldsztajn was sent to the Plaszow concentration camp, and later to the town of Proszowice, in the Krakow district, where he was assigned to heavy infrastructure work, under the supervision of armed guards. In the course of his work, Goldsztajn met Jan Ciepły, an acquaintance of his, who owned a small farm on the outskirts of Krakow. As the two became friendly, Ciepły offered to shelter Goldsztajn in his home. A few days later, Goldsztajn escaped from his workplace, and made his way to Ciepły’s home, where he was given a warm reception. Ciepły led him to a hiding place in one of the farm outhouses where, to his great surprise, Goldsztajn encountered Josef and Yocheved Weichselbaum, who had been hiding there since 1941, after the deportation of the Jews of Proszowice. Goldsztajn and the Weichselbaums stayed with Ciepły, who paid for their upkeep out of his own pocket, until the area was liberated by the Red Army in January 1945. In risking his life to save them, Ciepły was inspired by his love of mankind and his deep-seated religious beliefs. After the war, the Weichselbaums immigrated to Israel while Goldsztajn immigrated to Canada, where Ciepły came to visit him. On April 3, 1967, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Ciepły as Righteous Among the Nations.