" Fair grow as the palm tree,
Grows like a cedar of Lebanon.
Be planted in the house of the Lord,
Wyrastają in the courts of our God.
Even in old age produce fruit,
They are fully armed and freshness."

Psalm 92:13-15

Interviewer:

Katarzyna Kędzierska,
Maria Pawlak
Email:
kzkedzierska@gmail.com,
pawlak.mary@gmail.com
Adress:
Warsaw, Poland

Savior:

Family Name:
Żak
First Name:
Czesława
Father Name:
Żak Stanisław
Mother Name:
Żak Teresa
Birth Date:
1927
Town In Holocaust:
Warsaw
Country In Holocaust:
Poland

March of the Living meets Czeslawa Zak

Canadian students that participated in the March of the Living met with Czesława Żak - one of Righteous Among the Nations.

Earlier in the week the organizers interviewed her and made a short 10 minute film on her story.

This film was shown to the students during a special program on Wednesday night.

Czesława Żak was given flowers and an award by two of the student representatives. She received a standing ovation from the 500+ students and survivors in attendance.

from: Museum of the History of Polish Jews

March of the Living - April 21, 2009

March of the Living - the form of education of young people, primarily Jews. Is organized since 1988 by the Israeli Ministry of Education in the concentration camp at Auschwitz. Since 1996 the March of the Living is organized every year. It takes place at the Holocaust Memorial Day.
Participating in the march is to provide a certificate by the memory of those murdered in the Nazi Germans during World War II. It has also be manifestation of attachment to such values as dignity and equality of all people, tolerance, the right of every person to live in peace.

Tracks left in the camp at Birkenau wooden plate - as a symbol of Jewish tombstones. May 2008

One of the American groups which paricipatied in March met with Polish youth in Warsaw. I waj at such meeting. Three hours workshops were extraorinary adventure. Next new friends. It wa afternoon fool of laughter and play. Disadest thingwas that they did not know antything about our country. Except that there were Concantration Camps during the Second Worl War. I hope that meeting with young people changed these view of Poland and they won't throw war. But for example with beautiful Cracow or Warsaw as well duplings which sticj to these memory.
photo and first tekst from : wikipedia

by Marysia

I am very pleased that not only we want to know the history of Poles Mrs. Żak. I was surprised that young people up to Canady was interested!

by Marysia

Po - Lin forgotten place ...

This year I saw over ten films. Although the had similar theme one of them made the biggest impresion on me. This film is " Po- lin" made by Joanna Dylewska. It is story about wold of Jewsh before start of Second World War in Galicia. (" Po- lin" is in Hebrow Poland used by Jewish arriving to Poland) What makes this film worth seeing is auntentic film material from 20's and 30's made by Polish emigrants of Jewish origin who lifed in USA. This wonderful world left and will not return. The film is close my hard because it tell about places. Wich I know very well. My father comes from around City Rzeszów. Town such Kolbuszowa, Sędziszów I remember well from vacation at my grandma. But I never saw there Jew. The world from the movie is unkonow, misterious and extraordinacy. It's hard belive that so many years lived there Jews and there is no trance of theme. Nobody remember than anymore they are erase from histry of the town. I wonder if Mrs Czesława misses that world. Thinks to this movie I saw in what world my grandma grew up, mulicultural Poland.

"At the outbreak of World War II, lived in Poland, 3.5 million Jews, which accounted for 10 percent. residents of the Republic. " "Jews fleeing from Germany before pogromami and pestilence, came to polish. Met with hospitality and friendly response. They said in Hebrew "Po-Lin" - dwell here - giving the name of Jewish Poland. So proclaims XIII century legend "- fragment filmu

This may be because so many Poles in the Institute Yad Vashen, they wanted to save the World Pre ...

Personnel from the movie

http://polin.org.pl/ - Heritage of Polish Jews
http://www.filmweb.pl/f480047/Po-lin+Okruchy+pami%C4%99ci,2008 - FILMWEB

by Marysia

International Film Festiwal Jewish Motifs

The Jewish Motifs Film Festival is among the many international festivals focused on the Jewish nation, its tradition, identity and history, both past and present.
There are some 30 events known as JEWISH FILM FESTIVALS - in the United States, Canada as well as Europe - in France, Spain, Holland, Sweden, Great-Britain; also in Australia, China, New Zealand and Israel. Their aim is to propagate - through the medium of film - the awareness of the centuries-old Jewish tradition.
During our Festival we hope to show films from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Hungary and other post-soviet countries as well as films from Western Europe.
Poland is a democratic country, tolerant and open, respecting its history in which the Jewish people played a significant part.
Jews settled in Poland as early as the 13th century encouraged by the enlightened policy of Polish kings and their religious tolerance. In Poland, the Jewish people could throughout centuries live, work, develop and cultivate their traditions in harmonious coexistence with the Polish people as well as with other ethnic groups within the Polish Kingdom. They shared the country's ups and downs with Poles, participating in the country's economic and cultural life as well as taking an active part in the repeated armed efforts to regain its freedom.
By the year 1939, the Jewish community in Poland counted more than 3 million people. Decimated by German Nazis during WW II the Jewish people practically disappeared from Polish soil. Today, it is up to us how much of their cultural heritage we can protect, how much of it will survive in the memory of the generations to come.

official website : http://www.jewishmotifs.org.pl/en_Festival.html

by Marysia

The begining

Czesława Żak was born in 1927 in Warsaw as the oldest daughter of Teresa and Stanisław Żak. She spent her childhood in Warsaw district of Targówek in St. Vincent Street. Her mother was a seamstress, her father was a carpenter. Czesława, together with her parents and younger sister lived on the left side of the capital city until the liquidation of a large ghetto. In 1933 Czesława started her education at primary school no. 152 in Oszmiański Street. In her class, there was a large number of Jewish students. Her family was tolerant of other people’s faiths and nationalities. Czesława’s father’s brother, Stanisław, was an activist of PPS (Polish Socialist Party). His political attitude, so different from those of people governing the Republic of Poland, was the reason for permanent problems. Continuous arrests and court trials brought the Żak family to embarrassing situations concerning other residents of their block of flats, who were reluctant to those who had left-wing beliefs. Young Czesława knew what it means to be different from others. She often suffered as a result of the left-wing views of her uncle, who was her godfather replacing her father in first years of her life. As a schoolgirl she had a lot of crazy ideas. In the winter she used to slide on a schoolbag made from leather. When she noticed a strict face of her father standing in the distance, she went home rapidly. Today, she says that as a child was a very naughty person and that is probably why later she was able to survive during the war. From her early years she was a good friend of dogs. It was important for whole family to have this animal companion.

Beginning of hell - the war.

It is September 1^st  1939. As it occurred later, this day was written in not only the polish but also the world’s history forever. The memory of that day will survive in our hearts for many more centuries. The war there, was to bring tragic consequences. Most of the resolute politicians and the public expected it, but all had hope that, against all odds, it is possible to avoid it. Unfortunately, the machine of great evil was unstoppable. It was too late. The Poles, day after day, had to find themselves in a new reality they had to cope with. They had to try to fight for what was the most valuable: for their own homeland and people who lived there. That is why not only the soldiers but also ordinary citizens fought for free country.

At that time our heroine, Czeslawa, lived with her family on the right side of Vistula River, Targówek. Near was the Rogulski’s bakery. Czeslawa mentions that it was her mother who took two bags of dried bread from Mr. Rogulski. Soon such bread became the basis of the Zaks family diet.

Even then, at the beginning of 1939, Czesława, as a 12-year-old girl, worked as a nurse. She was running on the streets with a first aid kit and was helping the wounded. However, as she says, she was brave only until she heard a bomb explosion- the noise frightened her so badly that she was not always able to serve those in need. In the end she was just a little girl...

Hidden room. Growing concern.

At the end of 1940 the Żaks moved into the house on Grzybowski Square 1. Together with their cousin and uncle they lived on the first floor in one apartment. The hiding place for the "survivors" was a room which was separated within Mrs. Bratkowska’s apartment, Mrs. Bratkowska was Czesława’s cousins. In her apartment there were two rooms. Thanks to the family’s cleverness it was possible to organize the hideout for the Jews in one of these rooms. The bigger room was divided in two smaller rooms almost of the same size, so that each room had a window. 14 Jews found shelter there. They were Trefler family - Grandmother, Grandfather, siblings Janko, Zosia, Czeslawa, Jurek, Janka’s husband, Marynia, Marynia’s husband, Marynia’s mother-in-law, Ola and Mieczysław Grenberg, Rysia and her governess.

The rescued spent days hiding in a locked room. The only thing they could do was talking quietly, reading or learning. They did not have too much choice, however, the most important thing for them was surviving. Coming close to the window was strictly forbidden -any wrong movement could end up with death- not only for the "rescued", but also for their protectors. At night they slept on mattresses (only grandmother and grandfather slept on the beds), which at day served as tables. Living in such poor conditions, they waited for a better day. None of them knew when will it come, however, day after day they were closer to this date.

The Żak sisters did not realize that there were other people living in their apartment. They were only told by their parents that in their new home they should not invite friends and resign from their social life. They explained it to them saying that the new situation makes their mother nervous and not willing to take guests. It was after some time, when Czeslawa and later her sister were told what was really happening behind the walls.

The "rescued" paid for food themselves, they made their own cooking. On the contrary, the Żak sisters, teenagers at that time, were involved in the trade so that they could easily bring larger amounts of food into the house. Moreover, they were borrowing books from the library, and were bringing magazines. For the Jews who were hiding those materials were the only connection with the outside world. Only thank to the Zak sisters they had a bit of luxury in their sad everyday life.

drawing, a sketch of housing

outline guiding of the apartment - the hideout is in the right upper corner

When asked about the most horrible moments when Jews were being hidden Czeslawa notes that the feeling of fear never left them. The worst were the moments of the German searches. They searched the house on Grzybowski Square three times. One would say that it was not many “visits”, however every such “visit” could end up with tragedy. The first time it happened Czeslawa and her sister were at the bazaar busy with selling food. Later, their mother told them to stay in the city as long as possible- until somebody from the family comes to pick them up. She did not want to risk their daughters lives in the event of discovering the Jews’ hideout by the Germans. However, when the Germans came for the third time Mrs. Czeslaw was at home with her uncle. Her parents and Stanislawa left for the country to catch a little breath. The sneaks rushed into the apartment right in the morning- that day was a name-day of Our Justice. Only thank to Czesława they did not find the hideout...

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began on April 19^th, 1943. It was the first in Europe civil uprising against an occupier. The Jews had no chance, they were outnumbered by Germans who had much better weapon at disposal. The insurgents, however, did not fight for victory, they fought for a noble death. They wanted to prove that they will never give up.

62 thousand people died during the battles that lasted until May 16^th. 

The Jews who were harboured at Grzybowki Square did not realize for a long time, what was happening in the Ghetto. The Żaks decided not to tell them. However, lying to them could not last forever. This news was a heavy blow for them for Ola’s brother was in the Ghetto at that time. For some time they did not have any contact with him. 

As Czesława was telling us about the uprising, we saw tears in her eyes… 

The Warsaw Uprising in Czeslawa house.

On August 1st, 1944, Czesława together with hiding Jews heard the news about the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. It was an opportunity to save those people, it gave hope for the quick ending of the war. The last three years of occupation left the stigma on Czesława’s life. Continuous secrets, conspiracy, fear at last came to an end. WU Day explosion was a great holiday for all inhabitants of Warsaw. At last, after so many months the Jews could leave their hiding place and go outside. This sunny day was the beginning of a difficult and exhausting struggle with the Germans. Men from the apartments in Grzybowski Square were fighting with the enemy. GrandparentsTrefler left at the beginning of the uprising. In contrast, Zofia Gutherc and Janka Trefler formed the kitchen at the All Saints Church in Grzybowski Square, where during the Jewish population was more than in Polish. The church was bombed and the uprising ended quickly. After the fall all people chose different ways to go. Warsaw became a huge cemetery. Only a few decided to stay in the ruins of the city of death. Czesława went to Kozienice where her parents moved. The only thing she took with her from Warsaw, was a memorial of the First Holy Communion - a devotion book that became her talisman. She still has it. It survived the war and the whole uprising.

And now ?

Today Czesława stays in contact with only several residents of apartments in 1 Grzybowski Square. After the war, most of them went to Vienna. From here, they chose to continue their journey. Some of them emigrated to Israel. Richard settled in Switzerland, he worked there for many years as a pediatrician, he did not want to go to Israel. Zofia lived in Sweden with her Swedish son and daughter-in-law. Maria lives with his family in Paris. Czesława is in the closest contact with Ola, who is 2 years older than her. They talk to each other once a month. None of the survivors lives in Poland. They rarely come to the country.