The Heroic Acts of Religious Sisters in Saving Jews During World War II
March 6 is a significant day in history as it marks the European Day of the Righteous, a day dedicated to honoring and celebrating the brave individuals who risked their lives to oppose totalitarian regimes in the 20th century.
By Tomasz Zielenkiewicz
One remarkable story comes from Sister Monika Kupczewska of the Congregation of the Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who shared that 2,345 religious sisters from various congregations in Poland helped the Jewish population during the war. These courageous women, driven by their love for God and humanity, selflessly saved Jewish lives without any expectation of reward or recognition.
Despite their extraordinary actions, many of these sisters humbly downplayed their heroism, stating that they simply could not stand idly by in the face of the atrocities of World War II. Their efforts have been immortalized through research conducted by the Historical Commission in Poland, which has created a map detailing the convents and institutions involved in the rescue missions.
Sister Kupczewska highlighted the words of Auschwitz survivor Władysław Bartoszewski, who emphasized that nearly every religious congregation in Poland encountered the question of aiding Jews during the occupation, underscoring the widespread impact of these acts of compassion and bravery.
An Example of Heroism: Przemyśl
One poignant example of the heroic efforts of these sisters is the story of the Sacred Heart Sisters in Przemyśl, who saved thirteen Jewish children at their orphanage. These sisters went above and beyond to provide shelter, protection, and new identities for these children, risking their own safety to ensure the survival of innocent lives.
The Price of Heroism
Tragically, not all rescue missions were successful, and twelve religious sisters paid the ultimate price for their bravery, with four of them being beatified as martyrs by the Catholic Church.
First English-Language Monograph on Clergy Assistance in Poland
The Abraham J. Heschel Center for Catholic-Jewish Relations at the Catholic University of Lublin recently published the first English-language monograph examining the role of the Polish clergy in assisting Jews during the Holocaust. This comprehensive work sheds light on the selfless acts of priests and religious sisters who risked everything to save lives during one of the darkest periods in history.
The two-volume work, titled Wartime Rescue of Jews by the Polish Catholic Clergy, authored by attorney Ryszard Tyndorf and published by KUL Press, offers invaluable insights into the extraordinary courage and compassion displayed by the clergy in Poland during the Holocaust. It is available for free online here.
