Włodarczyk Edward

Kasprzyk, Andrzej Włodarczyk, Edward In March 1943, Markus Lezerkiewicz and his friend escaped from the transport taking Jews from Crakow ghetto to the Plaszow camp and dug a shelter for themselves. From time to time, they sallied forth into the surrounding fields searching for potatoes and other vegetables and, if they were lucky, receiving a little bread from the local farmers. In early 1944, the two refugees were waylaid by members of the NSZ who opened fire on them. Lezerkiewicz 's friend was killed on the spot, but Lezerkiewicz escaped. Alone and in despair, he returned to his hiding place in the forest until one day he met Andrzej Kasprzyk and Edward Włodarczyk. The two were farmers who lived in the village of Rudnik, in the county of Myslenice, in the Crakow district, and they offered to put him up on their farms. From then until the liberation in 1945, Lezerkiewicz stayed alternately with the two farmers, who, were guided by humanitarian principles, which overrode considerations of personal safety and economic hardship, saw to all his needs. After the war, Lezerkiewicz immigrated to Israel, where he wrote a tribute to his saviors. On May 21, 1975, Yad Vashem recognized Andrzej Kasprzyk and Edward Włodarczyk, as Righteous Among the Nations.