Kobylec Piotr & Karolina ; Son: Wiktor ; Son: Mieczysław ; Daughter: Banasik Klara (Kobylec)

Kobylec, Piotr Kobylec, Karolina Kobylec, Mieczysław Banasik-Kobylec, Klara Kobylec, Wiktor In 1943, Meir and Nechama Szulman were smuggled out of the Będzin ghetto by the pioneer movement underground operating in the Będzin and Sosnowiec ghettos, and sent to the town of Michałkowice near Katowice. Their assignment was to contact Mieczysław Kobylec, who was to hand them “Aryan” documents for use by members of the Jewish underground. Mieczysław’s father, Piotr, who was a poor coal-miner, and his mother, Karolina, agreed unconditionally to help the Szulmans. They dug a bunker in their courtyard which, until mid-1944, served as a transit point and provisional hiding place for members of the Jewish underground en route to Slovakia and Hungary. They also let their home be used as a base and headquarters of the Jewish underground, and as an arms cache and liaison point with the Warsaw Jewish underground. The Kobyleces’ married daughter, Klara Banasik, also participated in their clandestine activity. In a tragic accident, Klara’s husband was shot before her eyes by a stray bullet from a gun in the refugees’ possession. Despite the calamity, neither the Kobyleces nor Klara harbored any bad feelings toward their Jewish charges. Wiktor, their youngest son, also helped, by traveling to outlying villages to purchase food, so as not to arouse the neighbors’ suspicions. Countless Jews passed through the Kobyleces’ hiding place and were helped by them. As Polish patriots, the Kobyleces considered their activity a contribution to the struggle against a common enemy. Eventually, the authorities, alerted by informers, arrested the Kobyleces, tortured them, and sent them to Auschwitz, where they survived. On July 6, 1964, Yad Vashem recognized Karolina and Piotr Kobylec, their son, Mieczysław, and daughter Klara Banasik-Kobylec as Righteous Among the Nations. On July 6, 1992, Yad Vashem recognized Wiktor Kobylec as Righteous Among the Nations.