Barbara szymanska makuch biography samples

Tarnobrzeg, Poland... July 1942 – Sarah Hyman, from the neighboring town of Sandomierz, knocked on the door of Barbara Makuch, a young school teacher who lived with her elderly mother.

Barbara's father had recently been killed by the Germans for working for the Polish underground. Sarah was standing at the door with her seven-year-old daughter, Malka. That day the Germans began rounding up the Jews of Sandomierz, shooting hundreds in the middle of the town.

Barbara szymanska makuch biography samples

Sarah, who knew Barbara's aunt, asked Barbara to hide Malka.

Though they had never met Sarah or Malka, Barbara and her mother could not refuse this desperate request. They were aware that the penalty for offering any assistance to Jews was death.

They took Malka in and treated her as one of their own. Barbara also found hiding places for three other Jews who came to her for help.

After a few months it became clear that it was too dangerous to stay in this small town where everyone knew each other.

In late September,