We Follow Avraham's Footsteps

October 15, 2015

This was a big surprise.  Despite the tragic information and the revelations I learned of my cousin Avraham, my heart was warmed by following his steps in and around Ligowo, Poland some 73 years later.

The bare bones that I can share: Avraham was almost 7 years old when he made a daring escape from the Gostynin ghetto with his mother Chava and two younger siblings.  The family walked for several days through the woods and countryside.  Chava wanted to find shelter for her children.  After placing Avraham's sister with a childless, Catholic couple Chava was captured.  She and her youngest son were murdered and Avraham was left hidden in the forest.

He was later contacted by the Polish farmer who helped them out of the ghetto and was informed his mother was not coming back for him.  Avraham struck out on his own.

Here is where our friend, Benek Wegner of Skępe, surprised us.  Last year during our first trip to Skępe we left a copy of Avraham's book (Pile of Pine Needles) with Benek.  Afterwards Benek received local help to translate the book into Polish.  After he completed the book's section of the Holocaust experience Benek retraced the route Avraham wrote about, found the landmarks and then began interviewing people to see if anyone remembered his story.

Understandably, no lives who would have known Avraham personally.  But Avraham's captivity by the Polish farmer and his mere presence in this rural community continues to be the stuff of conversation and memory if you find the right people.

Benek found friends and relatives of some of the key people who contributed to Avraham's ultimate survival.  Some of the stories include:  1) outside Sierpc Avraham was being accosted by a drunk Pole, when a woman presented herself and declared "This boy is my sister's son, you leave him be".  The woman then took Avraham to a business in Ligowo some 12 km away which was run by either a very close friend or a relative of hers.  They suspected Avraham was Jewish and after a meal he was put up in a room.

Avraham was brought to this business 73 years ago.

Shortly after his arrival Avraham was asked if he would be willing to work on a farm.  He agreed to go.  And by bike he rode with the Ligowo businessman to the farm which would be his home for the next three years.  Benek was amazed by the precise directions:  turned left before the town Gozdy; about a kilometer later there was a religious way station (still there) he was taught to bless himself at; and another kilometer later there was the farm near another tiny village Florencja.

As we retraced Avraham's three year sojourn in and around Ligowo we spied a horse and cart which Benek informed us would be exactly the kind Chava and her 3 children would have been hidden in as they escaped Gostynin;

and the church in which Avraham attended on at least two occasions;

we looked down the lonely road that he traveled and wondered what was going through his mind at the age of seven and the next three years while he lived on the farm.  The road at twilight looks as if it may never end; and perhaps it never did.  Our time in Poland and Skępe comes to an end.

After 71 Years a Debt Is Acknowledged

October 11, 2015
Warsaw, Poland


Three days ago, on October 8, 2015, a debt which began on a remote farm in a small village named Bogzaplac (translation: God Will Provide) 71 years ago was publicly acknowledged and the descendants of the man who hid Rywka and Fela Pozmanter were able to witness his name being honored as "Righteous Among the Nations".

To repeat some of the facts:  Antonii Puszkiewicz who was born in 1881 in a small farming village nearby provided safe haven for Rywka and Fela Pozmanter @ 1944; Fela looked and passed as a young Polish girl, but Rywka had to be hidden in the barn behind a false wall built by Antoni;   when the German military police raided the farm at 2 am on a Sunday morning, despite being able to talk their way out of trouble, all knew the noose was tightening; Antoni had his daughter in Germany find work for Rywka and Fela as Polish laborers and transportation to Germany; shortly afterwards, Antoni Puszkiewicz was arrested and sent to Stutthof concentration camp where he died.  No pictures survive of Antoni Puszkiewicz.

This is the foundation of the barn where Rywka had to hide.  It is all that remains of the barn.  The Puszkiewicz farm was approximately 75 acres in size.  Their closest neighbor was an ethnic German farmer (and known maker of alcoholic drinks) and he lived about 150 meters away.  How the Germans found out Antoni was hiding Jews still remains a mystery:  did a neighbor turn him in?  was there a slip of the tongue?  No one knows for sure, but with his death there were three Puszkiewicz children who were now orphans.

After the conclusion of the Righteous ceremony at Skępe's public school the best description heard was "it was intimate and personal".  When Fela began speaking in Polish and crying via Skype to the Puszkiewicz family there was hardly a dry eye in the meeting room.   Following the presentation of the Righteous Proclamation of Antoni Puszkiewicz and commemorative medal by Frances Kummer, daughter and granddaughter of Fela and Rywka, and Ruth Cohen-Dar, Deputy Ambassador of Israel, to three of the Puszkiewicz grandchildren we met the family at a reception.

Frances (kneeling foreground), the daughter of Fela, and Bobbie Fleishman, who initiated the Righteous designation, are surrounded by the Puszkiewicz family at the end of the reception.

This was an event that will not be soon forgotten and we say simply to the Puszkiewicz family:  Thank you!  More than 50 members of our family are living today, because of the difficult choice Antoni made some 71 years ago.  May you all Live and be Well!

After the Righteous Ceremony: It Was Just Being Human

"It Was Just Being Human"

After the ceremony yesterday we were driven deep into the countryside to visit the farm where Rywka hid in a barn and Faye became close friends with Helena.  To view the stone foundations for the house and barn, overgrown with blackberry bushes and the stuff of nature, was certainly a moment for quiet reflection.

We had a few moments to talk about the swirling emotions.  Joanna explained that her family always considered what her great grandfather did was 'just being human'.  Finally, Mike shared this perspective with the family.  His comments, condensed, were:

"Our family has always been amazed by the courage, cunning, and perseverance of Rywka and Faye throughout their 2 years plus of active hiding from the Nazis.  But they had no choice: Jews were hunted everywhere.  And therein lies the difference with Antoni Puszkiewicz.  At first fearful his family and 63 years of hard work would become victim to his decision, he hesitated.  But after further thought he said: "Yes, stay with us and we will hide you."  Still, a choice.

Finally, it was time to leave and we found out the family still had no idea where Antoni Puszkiewicz died; no idea what prison camp he was sent.  Again, Mike had an answer for them and information on how they could access his records.  Turns out Joanna lives just a few miles away from the death camp Stutthof in the town Alawa.

We trust she will uncover the rest of the information on this Righteous Man.  Righteous by choice.

Our internet capabilities are limited in Lipno.  We will provide complete ceremony coverage with photos, etc.. once we arrive back in Warsaw.

Antoni Puszkiewicz: A Reflection

October 4, 2015

Antoni Puszkiewicz:  A Reflection

October 19, 2014

Dear Mrs. Roberta,

Sorry for not replying for so long but I had problems with the Internet. I received a letter from you with pictures – thank you very much. Congratulations on your grandson and we wish him sound health. A person from the Institute contacted us and informed that the first stage had been completed and other procedure may take some time. We would like to thank you very much that after so many years you have managed to deal with it. We would appreciate it much if you came to Poland. My grandma will be very happy when she meets Fela and her family. It will be a great meeting for sure. We wish you and your family sound health. The same to Fela. I found a picture (which is a little bit damaged) with a signature for Feli from all of us.

Regards,

Peter

The above picture which was in the possession of Helena Koweleska (Anton's last surviving child) represents in a very dramatic, yet simple way,  the extent of Mr. Puszkiewicz's action.

Faye has told us on several occasions that Mr. Puszkiewicz saved their lives.  Rywka and Faye were at the end of their rope when they arrived at his farm.  There was no where else to turn; no one else to ask.  His reticence to help was understandable.  Every Pole knew that to hide a Jew was a death sentence.  Undoubtedly, Anton Puszkiewicz felt the odds were in his favor.  With a false wall in the horse barn and the remote location of his farm he must have been confident that he could outfox the Germans.  Whether it was a nosey neighbor or just bad luck, Antonii Puszkiewicz paid with his life for helping the same neighbor from Skępe who had extended him the same kind of help years before.  That is just what you do for neighbors if you are a good person.  

The picture above is only part of the evidence of what Mr. Puszkiewicz did.  Had Rywka failed to survive then the lives of her two daughters and nephew and niece would not have been what they are today.  Think about his contribution.  The four surviving children would not have had the ten children they raised; there would not have been the 30+ grandchildren who live today; and the innumerable great children who are here and those to come would not be possible.

Antoni Puszkiewicz represents a tragedy for his three children who were orphaned.  His grandchildren and great grandchildren have the memories that have been passed down.  However, his legacy lives not only in his own progeny, but with those whom he never met, in parts of the world he could have only dreamed of.

Antoni Puszkiewicz:  Righteous Among the Nations.  May his memory be for a blessing.

Stutthof Concentration Camp

October 2, 2015

Stutthof Concentration Camp

Stutthof Concentration Camp was the first camp of its kind constructed on Polish soil and "the last to be dissolved".  Located in an area three km from the Baltic coast and 34 km from the Gdansk/Danzig area, Stutthof was officially opened on September 2, 1939, just one day after the start of the war in Poland.

At first Stutthof was a forced labor camp reserved for intellectuals and religious and political leaders characterized by the Germans as an "undesirable element" within Polish society. Then Gestapo jails from cities like Torun and Plock added more prisoners in 1939.  Stutthof had as few as 250 prisoners and swelled to as many as 52,000.  Towards the end of the war Hungarian, Czech, and Greek Jews were sent to Stutthof from Auschwitz where the majority were immediately marked for extermination.

Anton Puskiewicz was arrested in 1944 and imprisoned at Stutthof.  His prisoner number was 63808. The date of his death at the camp is unknown.  The circumstances surrounding his arrest are unclear after 71 years, but the following two letters from Anton's g grandson (translated from the Polish) should give a glimpse of why it happened.

9/30/2014

Dear Roberta,

I’m writing to you on behalf of my grandma Helena Kowalewska. My name’s Piotr. A few days ago we received a letter for which we thank you very much. My grandma is feeling great and is 86. Her brother and sisters are not alive now. She has 4 children and her oldest son is not alive. From the account of events of my grandma I know that her father and brother Bolesław were taken to a concentration camp where the brother of my grandma survived but her father died. The mother of my grandma died in the War and then they lived alone. About 40 years ago my grandma contacted Rywka and Fela. She recieved letters and pictures of their family from them but after some time the contact was lost. If you want to get more information and keep in touch with my grandma please send us an e-mail or a letter. My grandma sends kisses to you and Fela and the whole family. 

I hope this letter finds you in good health.

Best Regards,

Piotr Kowalewski

10/20/2014

Dear Mrs. Roberta,
I’m sorry for not replying for so long but my computer was broken down. You asked if Germans took my great-grandfather to the camp because he had hid Ryfka and Fela. From the account of events of my grandma and grandpa it was that reason (hiding Ryfka and Fela), and my grandma’s brother was taken to the labour camp. Sometimes my grandma casts her mind back to those times. She remembers when Germans came to their farm and took her father and brother. It was them as young children, who the Germans pointed a gun at because they started to run. When it comes to letters and pictures none of them are left . So many years have already passed by that my grandma doesn’t have any mementos, only remembrance. The time of war was horrible and everyone who provided shelter for Jews knew that if the Germans found out that it wouldn’t be good. During the war there were a lot of people who told Germans that their neighbors were hiding Jews. It was a horrible period of time and I hope that we will never have to experience something like that nowadays or in the future. Nowadays, a lot of information is available on TV.
I’m really sorry that I can’t help you with the letters, but too many years have passed. I’m happy that someone from your family survived and is happy with her life and has family.
I’m sending kind regards to you and your family,
Peter

Finally, Anton Puszkiewicz's information from his prisoner questionnaire:

1. Found a prisoner:

Name: Puszkiewicz

Name: Anton

Camp number: 63808

Date of Birth: 1881-05-10

Place of birth: brzeszczki małe

Place of residence: Gottvergelts, Kr. Leipe

Archival file number: I-IIE-12-311

source: Book of cadastral

2. Found prisoner:

Name: Puszkiewicz

Name: Anton

Camp number: 63808

Date of Birth: 1881-05-10

Place of birth: Brzeszczki

Place of residence: Gottvergelts

Nationality: Pole

Occupation: Landwirt

Archival file number: I-IID-4-63

Source: Personal Questionnaires

October 1, 2015

Over and Above What Most Would Have Done

With the surprise raid by the German military police one thing was certain:  Rywka and Faye had to find another hiding place.  Mr. Puszkiewicz had a daughter, Czesława, who was working in Germany.  Knowing he had to be careful enlisting his daughter's help Anton devised a code to ask her to find safe employment for Rywka and Faye.  Within a short period of time Czesława found a German couple who needed housekeeping help.

It worked like a charm:  Czesława found an invalid who traveled to Poland to bring Rywka and Faye to Germany and their new position; they traveled to Germany without difficulty and began their new job; that is, until Faye scorched the shirt belonging to the head of the household.  They were fired and were back at square one - 'Polish laborers' in Germany without a job and no means of support.  A trip to the Labor Office resulted in a placements at a nearby sugar beet farm.

Workers on the farm included POWs from various countries and the work on the farm was demanding.  Eventually Rywka, who could not keep up with Faye or the other laborers, was able to be transferred out of the fields to inside work with potatoes.  

But the danger of discovery was never too far away.  One woman and her daughter who shared a room with Faye and Rywka went as far as to accuse them of not being Poles, but Jews.  She never had a chance to make her charges public, because Faye, who had become friendly with a guard in her building, told the guard that their room companion was saying terrible things about her and her mother.  When she explained the woman accused them of being Jews, Faye tearfully asked the guard to make her stop saying such terrible things.  The guard intervened and shortly afterwards the woman and her child disappeared.  

And then Anton Puszkiewicz gave them their greatest gift.  Unexpectedly, a package arrived for Rywka.  It was from Anton.  Inside was a letter and a photo of a dead woman.  In sorrowful language Anton informed Rywka that "their" close relative (mother?) had died and he apologized that he could not wait for her to return home for the burial.  He felt terrible that Rywka could not say her proper good byes and hoped she would forgive him.  According to Faye, Rywka carried the letter with her, shed many tears over the loss of a loved one, and demonstrated in a very convincing way that indeed she was a Pole.  Anton Puszkiewicz, without being asked, had found a way to provide Rywka and Faye with the most convincing cover story for their Polish identities.

The Puszkiewicz Memory

September 29, 2015

The Puszkiewicz Memory of Events

The following are notes taken by Bernard Wegner after his interview with the Puszkiewicz family in May, 2014 - about two months after our visit to Skępe.  

During the Second World War the Puszkiewicz family lived in Bózapłać, a town in the Skępe Commune.  The family had a farm with an area of approximately 30 hectares (about 74 acres).  They earned their living by agriculture mainly.  The farmer was Antonii Puszkiewicz.  He had a wife Sofia (who died before Rywka and Faye arrived @1944) and three children: son Bołesław, and two daughters: Czesława and Helena.  As the only ones in the town they built a wooden house before the Second World War.  Mr. Antonii Puszkiewicz was in the United States two times.  (Towards) the end of the War he was arrested and taken to a camp (Stutthof Concentration Camp along with his son) where he died about three weeks before liberation (of the camp by the Russians). editor's note:  Bołesław survived and returned home.

It was at this farm, namely at the place designed for horses where Rywka and Fela (Faye) were hidden in very difficult conditions.  A tiny room was isolated and thoroughly masked (prepared so no one could find it) to hide Rywka and Fela from the Germans.  Along with them there was also a man who was probably a partisan and who hid himself in the room as well.

The daughter of Antonii Puszkiewicz, Czesława, was working in Germany and it was she who organized the trip to and work in Germany for Rywka and Fela. During their entire time in Germany she remained in contact with them and helped them as much as she could.  After the war Czesława and Bołesław returned to the farm and with Helena tried to work it.  The farm which was taken over by the children was gradually collapsing, and the land was sold off piece by piece...Nothing has remained of the farm apart from the remains of foundations hidden in the bushes.

The above information was acquired by Bernard and Zyta Wegner with the help of the last living daughter (Helena) and the help of the godson of Antonii Puszkiewicz, who also remembers the history related to Rywka and Fela.

These notes which were prepared on May 18, 2014 were translated by Sławomir Witkowscy.  Sadly, we were informed that Helena died on August 21, 2015 by her grandson, Piotr.