European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

Žemaitis had a big farm house

and he was the vice-village leader.

Mr. Jankowski, Henryk as I well remember – the district secretary, was also helping.

But there were some people who were against Jankowski in spite of the fact he had never done any dirty things.

At Jankowski´s place lived an organist,

he was the musician and later professor at our Music Academy - Witold Rudziński.

The Rudziński family lived at Jankowski´s.

We had stayed in touch with the Rudziński family,

I mean me and the Świezewski family used to go there,

all of them knew about Maryśka coming,

maybe some documents were needed to give to Maryśka so the church was also a good place.

Those two men, these village leaders, did not let Gestapo get to Orwidów two or three times.

When the Gestapo came and started investigating the inhabitants,

Mr. Žemaitis went to his farm house, bringing rotgut from there, some meat - they organized a big party and informed me.

Hiding a Jewish girl: Sonia; Gestapo’s raid

One beautiful day Jadzia came to me and said:

Nitson is asking if you would mind taking his niece to your place, Sonia,

as they live in the forest in the shelter and Sonia cannot stand this place any more,

she gets angry and would prefer to live among people.

Sonia is fifteen years old, is a daughter of a rich sales man in the town called Niemenczyn