Gniatkowski Wincenty

Gniatowski Wincenty Wincenty Gniatowski, a poor widower and father of six, owned a small farm in the village of Zdania, in the county of Radomsko, in the Lódź district. Before the war, his friend, Abram-Mojżesz Keselman, who lived in nearby Radomsko, used to lend Gniatowski money each year to help him cover expenses during the harvest. In September 1942, before the liquidation of the Radomsko ghetto, Keselman, his sons Alek and Heniek, and his daughters Fredzia, Dora and Nacia, escaped and, after many hardships, reached Gniatowski’s home, where they asked for shelter. Although he could ill afford the extra burden, Gniatowski took in the Jewish refugees unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. Despite the danger to him and his six children, Gniatowski arranged a hiding place for them on his farm, and shared his meager fare with them. One day, the German police, alerted by informers, raided his farm, and searched the farm and outhouses, but did not discover the refugees. Gniatowski was arrested and interrogated, but was subsequently released. Even after this narrow escape, Gniatowski continued hiding the Keselmans. In July 1944, the father, Abram-Mojzesz Keselman, fell ill and died, and was buried in Gniatowski’s farmyard. Keselman’s five children stayed with Gniatowski until the area was liberated in January 1945, after which they immigrated to Argentina. On May 21, 1997, Yad Vashem recognized Wincenty Gniatowski as Righteous Among the Nations. File 7365