Cękalska Justyna (Lemieszek); Son: Cękalski Zbigniew

Cękalska, Justyna Cękalski, Zbigniew In 1942, during the liquidation of the Lublin ghetto and the massacre of the Jews who had been concentrated in the nearby suburb of Majdan Tatarski, two 19-year-old Jewish men who had succeeded in escaping the Aktion – Israel-Natan Melamed and Israel-Mordechaj Fogelgarn – fled to the house of a widow by the name of Justyna Cękalska. While they were still in the ghetto, Fogelgarn had often bought bread from Justyna, and she seemed trustworthy to him. Justyna did not fail the fugitives and, despite the danger to herself and her three children, she agreed to assist them and prepared a hideout for them beneath the floor. Although her budget was extremely limited, she supported the two men and asked for nothing in return. Her selflessness stemmed both from her humanitarian views and her deep faith as a Catholic. For over two years, Justyna looked after the two men with the wholehearted assistance and support of her eldest son, Zbigniew. The latter prepared the hideout together with her, protected the fugitives, who were the same age as he, from danger, and cared for and encouraged them as best he could. Melamed and Fogelgarn remained in the hideout until the area was liberated by the Red Army in July 1944. The two subsequently joined the Polish army, and later emigrated from Poland. After their departure, they continued to keep in touch with Justyna and her children. On November 3, 1993, Yad Vashem recognized Justyna Cękalska and her son, Zbigniew Cękalski, as Righteous Among the Nations.