Irene Tomaszewski

Considering that she was writing these while confined in prison under sentence of death, I found Krystyna Wituska's letters to be remarkably cheerful and optimistic. Irene Tomaszewski's introduction provides a decent historical context to the letters as well as a good portrait of Krystyna's life, and the notes help the reader keep track of who was who in her life. (Though the notes were a bit repetitive at times. Yes, I know her aunt's husband was killed in the War. I got that the first time. You don't need to mention it over and over again.)

This is a good addition to the collection of books about the Polish resistance in World War II, as well as the political prisoners in Germany at that time, and it's not so depressing as many such books are. You can't help but like and admire Krystyna's upbeat attitude as well as her courage.

For a similar book out of Denmark, check out “Heroic Heart: The Diary and Letters of Kim Malthe-Bruun 1941-1945”.… (altro)

Those wishing to read an amazing and historical story, one that is compelling from the first page to the last, then Code Name Zegota: Rescuing Jews in Occupied Poland, 1942-1945: The Most Dangerous Conspiracy in Wartime Europe is a must read for you.

The primary founders were two women. The well known writer, Zofia Kossak was a co-founder, along with Wanda Krahelska-Filopowicz. Kossak was initially deemed antisemetic because of her negative reactions to Jewish organizations prewar, and was a conservative nationalist. Krahelska-Flipowicz was heavily involved in the Underground prewar and very influential in the art community, with the AK and the Delegatura. She helped hide Jews in her own home. Kossak persuaded her own children to help save and rescue Jews, and emphasized the moral, ethical and humaneness of doing so. She felt the Nazi atrocities and crimes were “an offense against man and God, and their policies an affront to the ideals she espused for an independent Poland”. She used her published leaflet “Protest” to motivate the Polish people to come forward and help aid them.

Zegota had connections through the widely read Jewish underground newspapers such as the the Biuletyn Informacyjny (BI), whose editor was Aleksander Kaminski, and Henryk Wolinski who headed the Jewish section of the Underground Bureau of Information and Propaganda, which was the main contact between the AK and the Jewish liaison of The Jewish Fighting Organization (ZOB. These two men who were with the AK were instrumental in spreading the news throughout the underground, by using their foreign correspondents within Poland (especially in the Warsaw Ghetto) and in other countries, and spreading it to those other organizations and individuals connected to Zegota. Another important contact and member was Witold Bienkowski, who was a representative of the Delegatura which was the home delegation of the Polish Government in Exile.

I am in awe after reading Code Name Zegota: Rescuing Jews in Occupied Poland 1942-1945: The Most Dangerous Conspiracy in Wartime Europe. The story will linger with me for quite some time.… (altro)