Iwański Henryk & Iwańska Wiktoria

Iwański, Henryk Iwańska, Wiktoria Henryk Iwański’s struggle against the German occupier began when, under the code name “Bystry” [“Swift”], he joined the ZWZ (Związek Walki Zbrojnej – Union for Armed Struggle), which later became the AK [Home Army]. According to statements by Iwanski and some of his colleagues, he was an officer in an underground Polish formation called the KB (Security Corps). A number of persons testified on his behalf and described how both Iwański and his wife, Wiktoria, helped Jews despite the risk involved. Iwańska used to smuggle weapons and ammunition into the ghetto for activists of the ŻZW (Żydowski Zwiazek Wojskowy – Jewish Military Union), while Iwański took care of Jews who escaped to the Aryan side of the city. During the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in April 1943, the Iwańskis intensified their efforts to help the ZZW, took care of fugitives and found them hiding places. Iwański himself fought alongside the Jews in Muranowski Square. In throwing in their lot with the Jews, the Iwańskis were guided by nationalist motives, and a sense of obligation to help those who were being persecuted by a common enemy. On December 13, 1964, Yad Vashem recognized Wiktoria and Henryk Iwański as Righteous Among the Nations. A 2011 Study of the ZZW by Dariusz Libionka and Laurence Weinbaum found inconsistencies regarding the nature and extent of Iwanski's support for the Jewish underground and brought allegations that Iwanski exaggerated his war time activities.