Koźmińska Maria ; Stepdaughter: Anna

Koźmińska Maria Koźmińska Anna In September 1942, when the Germans began destroying the Częstochowa ghetto, eight-year-old Abraham Jabłoński escaped from the ghetto with the help of relatives who were already hiding on the Aryan side of the city. The efforts of his relatives and elder sister to find him a shelter proved abortive, and little Abraham had to wander for days and nights, staying in temporary hiding places, dogged by the fear of discovery. His luck turned when Maria Koźmińska, a widow, agreed, at Abraham’s uncle’s request, to shelter Abraham in her apartment, which she shared with her stepdaughter, Anna. Maria and her stepdaughter looked after Abraham devotedly, saw to all his needs, made him feel safe, and raised his spirits when he was feeling low. They also saw to his education, taught him to read and write, and at great personal risk, took him occasionally for walks outside. Despite their difficult circumstances, Maria and Anna never asked for any payment but, guided by humanitarian motives, which overrode considerations of personal safety, or economic hardship, risked their lives for Jabłoński. Koźmińska’s apartment also served intermittently as a temporary shelter for a Jewish refugee by the name of Rubinsztain, and two women, Stefa and her daughter Rita. Abraham Jabłoński stayed in his hiding place until January 1945, when the area was liberated by the Red Army. After the war, he immigrated to Israel, where he testified to his saviors’ humanity and courage. On February 11, 1991, Yad Vashem recognized Maria Koźmińska and her stepdaughter, Anna Koźmińska, as Righteous Among the Nations. File 4811