Żuławska Kazimiera & Żuławski Wawrzyniec

File 1938 ŻUŁAWSKA-HANICKÓWNA, KAZIMIERA ŻUŁAWSKI, WAWRZYNIEC (JERZY) Żuławska-Hanickówna Kazimiera, a doctor of philosophy, translator (known for her translations) and Alpinist; a widow of well-known Polish poet and author- Żuławski Jerzy (who died in 1915), lived prior to the war and during the German occupation with her three sons- Marek, Juliusz and Wawrzyniec (an AK- Armia Krajowa (en. Home Army) activist) in Warsaw. During the occupation times, they have constantly hid in their home on the 62 Marszałkowska Street, eight to ten, and even 15 Jews; mainly from the ranks of those engaged in Polish culture. Among those who hid in their apartment were: 1). Wittlinowa (Rosa) Róża, 2). Abzug-Malewska, Dąbrowska Stefania, her younger sister and parents: Mayer Margaret (known also as- Abzug-Malewska Rita), Abzug-Malewski Stanisław and his wife- Abzugowa-Malewska Adela, 3). Jabłońkówna Leonia, 4). Gottlieb (Gotlieb) Krystyna. 1. 1). The outbreak of the war found Wittlinowa (Rosa) Róża in Lvov (pl. Lwów). In 1943, she left Lwów and traveled to Warsaw, where she didn’t know anyone. Furthermore, “she spoke a broken Polish” since she was brought up in Germany (until her marriage). After a few weeks of hiding (sleeping in basements and empty stores, at night), she met Mrs. Żuławska, who invited her to her apartment. Żuławska did not know Wittlinowa, but she heard about her difficult situation, through a mutual acquaintances (Mr. Juliusz Żuławski- Mrs. Żuławska husband who died pre-war, was a close friend of her stepson). Róża moved to Kazimiera’s apartment in November 1943 and stayed there for a months without paying for her accommodation or maintenance. One day, the Gestapo appeared in the apartment looking for Jews (informed that there were hiding Jews). Róża, who spoke fluently in German, managed to convince them that she was a Pole raised in Germany; and that she was in Warsaw for a purpose of medical treatment. Kazimiera confirmed the wholestory (from the very start they spoke in German in the presence of the Gestapo). Although the incident passed without any problems, Róża decided to leave Kazimiera’s apartment, few days afterwards. 2. 2). (née: Abzug-Malewska) Dąbrowska Stefania, also arrived with her close family to Warsaw, after leaving Lwów. In Warsaw, she met a schoolmate who directed her to Kazimiera. Kazimiera and her son Wawrzyniec, helped not only Stefania to hid, but also her parents and her younger sister, named Mayer Margaret (known also as- Abzug-Malewska Rita), who was hiding in several monasteries (of course with the kindles help of Mr. Żuławska). In her testimony to Yad Vashem, she wrote: “…they were constantly hiding 8-10 people with a Jewish background (Polish, Czech and etc.), mostly artists…” [* This information was also provided by Prof. Bartoszewski in his book: “Ten z Ojczyzny Mojej.”] There were, cases in which 15 fugitives were hiding at Żuławska apartment. 3. 3). Jabłońkówna Leonia hid at the Żuławski family apartment for many times during the period of 1941-1944; “…finding there shelter and a warm care.” Wrote Jabłońkówna, in her testimony to Yad Vashem. Moreover, Kazimiera wrote about her saving activities during the occupation: “I came into closer contact with ‘them’ since the beginning of 1941. I knew many before the war... For us, brought up on the principles of the nineteenth century humanitarianism, all of this was incomprehensible... Offering help to those being persecuted seemed like another form of fighting the occupier and his hated injunctions. I had a large apartment... I decided to use this apartment as I understood best: to hand it over to the fighting community and those most badly harmed and needy... For the whole time our apartment served the activities of the underground organizations... it also served as a shelter for Polish Jews running and hiding from persecution.” [Bartoszewski 1969, 457-458]. 4). Another fugitive who was hiding at Żuławskaapartment was: Gottlieb (Gotlieb) Krystyna, a relative of the famous painter- Maurycy Gottlieb. After the war, Abzug-Malewski family immigrated to Israel, and settled down in Tel-Aviv; while, Jabłońkówna Leonia stayed in Poland and settled down in Warsaw. [Kazimiera’s son- Wawrzyniec, was a famous Polish composer and a well-known mountain-climber; who died tragically in the Swiss Alps- Mont Blanc, on the 18th of August 1957]. On the 25th of December 1980, Yad Vashem recognized Żuławska-Hanickówna Kazimiera and her son- Żuławski Wawrzyniec (Jerzy), as a Righteous Among the Nations. [* For additional information, please see Prof. Bartoszewski’s book: Bartoszewski, W., and Z., Lewinówna. 1969. Ten Jest z Ojczyzny Mojej, pp. 456-459].