Gąska Zbigniew & Bronisława

File 2145e Gąska, Zbigniew Gąska, Bronisława In late August 1942, Tkacz Jan, who lived in Stanisławów, met Sylwia (Sylvia) Andacht (later on known as- Migdałek), a 13-year-old girl, who had escaped from the transport taking her to the death camps. It soon transpired that Andacht was a German-born Jewess who knew no Polish, which made it difficult to hide her identity. Nevertheless, Tkacz brought her home to his apartment, where she stayed until he provided her with forged documents in the name of Jaśkiewicz Janina. With these in hand, Sylwia was taken to Gąska Zbigniew, who was engaged to Tkacz’s daughter, Bronisława, in the nearby town of Podhajce. Bronisława, a teacher, taught Andacht Polish and looked after her devotedly. In August 1943, Andacht moved to Lwów, to friends of the Gąskas. In the spring of 1944, Andacht presented the documents in her possession and volunteered as a Pole, for work in Germany (she worked in the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen) where she stayed until the area was liberated by the American Army. After the war, Andacht immigrated to Australia, where she kept up a correspondence with the Gąskas, who had risked their lives to save her out of compassion, and with no thought of recompense. On the 22nd of October 1981, Yad Vashem recognized Gąska Bronisława and Zbigniew, as Righteous Among the Nations.