Szwed Jan & Katarzyna (Potaszińska); Son: Antoni ; Daughter: Kotwica Maria (Szwed)

SZWED, JAN SZWED, KATARYZNA SZWED, ANTONI KOTWICA-SZWED, MARIA Jan and Katarzyna Szwed, along with their children Antoni and Maria, lived in the village of Swirz, in the Przemyslany county, Eastern Galicia. From the autumn of 1942 until August of 1944, they assisted a number of Jews, hiding them in the surrounding woods and sheltering them for some time. At the end of 1942, they afforded shelter to Emanuel Kroithamer (later Kruvi) who had escaped from the Bobrka ghetto during the second aktion. He had originally contacted the Szweds through the Karten brothers, all of whom were originally from Swirz. At that time, Emanuel was ill and suffering from typhus. The Szweds nursed him back to health until he was able to return to the ghetto. In March 1943, on the eve of the final liquidation of the ghetto, Emanuel managed to flee to the woods where he was able to join the partisans. Until the liberation, he alternated between staying with the partisans and the Szweds. The Szweds also helped the Karten brothers and their sister Jolka, and Dvora Folgel. They also helped many others. Kruvi wrote in his testimony to Yad Vashem about a pregnant Jewish woman who had hidden in the woods. When she went into labor, she went to the Szweds home and they helped with the delivery. Emanuel emphasized that Katarzyna always demonstrated noble behavior, which strongly impacted and influenced her family. In 1946, Emanuel immigrated to the Land of Israel. “Since my arrival I have maintained contact with them,” he wrote. He also added that the Szweds’ attitude was brought about in large part due to “their friendship with the Kartens and their genuine solidarity with all suffering people.” On July 9, 1987, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Szwed, his wife, Katarzyna Szwed, and their children, Antoni and Maria Kotwica-Szwed, as Righteous Among the Nations.