Tarnogórski Wincenty & Tarnogórska Maria

TARNOGÓRSKI, WINCENTY TARNOGÓRSKA, MARIA Maria Tarnogórski lived with her husband Wincenty and their six children in the village of Mala Glusza, in the district of Kamien Koszyrski in Polesie. In November 1942, Abraham Biber appeared at the Tarnogórskis’ home after escaping from the Kamien Koszyrski ghetto a few days earlier. After a few days of wandering, he reached Mala Glusza, which was located twenty kilometers away from the town. He knocked at their door but only Maria and her six children were there. Maria let Abraham into the house and fed him; she allowed him to stay until her husband returned. Wincenty returned later that evening, and after discussing the matter with his wife, decided to hide Abraham. Three nights later, a group of about 20 Jews appeared at their home. They had one rifle. They asked Wincenty to lead them to the woods through the swamps. Wincenty agreed, but because it was almost daybreak, he decided to put them all up in the attic. He also gave them warm food and only the next evening did he take them to the Newirski Woods. In the spring of 1943, partisan groups became active in the Polesie Woods. At that time, Wincenty helped Abraham contact the partisans and took him to the village of Newir, which was already under the control of the Soviet partisans. From there, Abraham reached the Suworow partisan detachment of the Molotow partisan brigade, where he stayed until the liberation. Abraham Biber emphasized in his testimony that the Tarnogórskis received nothing in exchange for helping him. In fact, he had left the ghetto literally empty- handed. Abraham also recalled that all of the Tarnogórskis’ children knew of his presence in the house and from time to time would bring food to him in the cow barn attic where he was hiding. In August 1946, Abraham left for the Land of Israel. The Tarnogórskis moved to Piaseczno, near Warsaw. For many years, Abraham tried to locate the Tarnogórskis but only managed to do so in 1984. OnSeptember 5, 1985, Yad Vashem recognized Wincenty Tarnogórski and his wife, Maria Tarnogórska, as Righteous Among the Nations.