Żal Jan & Maria ; Son: Jan ; Son: Antoni ; Son: Józef ; Granddaughter: Wąsowicz Wiesława

ŻAL, JAN ŻAL, MARIA ŻAL, JAN ŻAL, ANTONI ŻAL, JÓZEF WĄSOWICZ, WIESŁAWA Jan and Maria Żal were the owners of a farm in the village of Grzymala, in the district of Kielce, about 20 kilometers from the small town of Chmielnik. Along with them lived their sons Jan, Antoni, and Józef, as well as their granddaughter Wiesława Wąsowicz. In 1941, a ghetto was established in Chmielnik, and the Lederman family (the parents and two sons, Ezjel and Samuel) was incarcerated there. Samuel knew Antoni from school and throughout the period of the ghetto’s existence, Jan and Antoni provided the Ledermans with food. When it became clear that the liquidation of the ghetto was imminent (in September 1942), the Ledermans turned to the Żals for help. Jan and Antoni rescued the Ledermans from the ghetto and took them to their parents’ farm. Fearing both their neighbors and the Germans, they moved the Ledermans from one building to the next. The Ledermans built a hideout in the meantime in an old abandoned house. The Ledermans also gave their jewelry and gold coins to the Żals in order for them to purchase food; the Żal’s made no profit in the process. Not long after the Ledermans’ arrival at the Żals, a young Jewish woman, Ester Gutman (later Ezjel’s wife), appeared at the farm. The Żals gave her help and shelter as well. The survivors emphasize in their testimony that the entire Żal family took care of them and they highlighted the efforts of the sons and niece who helped to keep their spirits up and provided them with “mental nourishment” by supplying them with books. After the war, the Ledermans immigrated to the United States. On October 2, 1984, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Żal, his wife, Maria Żal, their sons, Jan, Antoni, and Józef Żal, and their granddaughter, Wiesława Wąsowicz, as Righteous Among the Nations.