Majewska Genowefa (Łabaj)

File 3709 Majewska, Genowefa During the occupation, Genowefa Majewska and her young daughter lived in Borysław, in Eastern Galicia. In March 1944, Marek Holzman appealed to Genowefa, asking her to hide him, his wife Róża and his mother-in-law. Before the occupation, Holzman had worked in a photography studio belonging to Genowefa’s brother, and although Genowefa knew him only superficially, she decided to hide the Jewish fugitives in her home. Majewska had a ground-floor apartment, and under the floor, there was a cellar that had been enlarged. She had a separate secret entrance built through the kitchen oven. During the day, the three fugitives remained in the hideout, coming up into the kitchen only at night. There, they ate and washed themselves, returning to the hideout towards morning. Everything had to be done clandestinely, so that Majewska’s young daughter would not find out about the people hiding out in her home and inadvertently give away the secret. Majewska washed the fugitives’ clothes and prepared their meals without asking for or receiving anything in return, continuing to hide them even after the Germans murdered all the members of a Polish family living nearby together with the Jews they had been protecting. Holzman, his wife and mother-in-law remained in Majewska’s home until the liberation in August 1944. After the war, the survivors left Borysław together with Genowefa Majewska, who had saved their lives. Majewska moved to an area within the new Polish borders and Marek Holzman and his family moved to Warsaw. On October 1, 1990, Yad Vashem recognized Genowefa Majewska as Righteous Among the Nations.