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The Podgórski sisters hid 13 Jews in their home in Przemysl, Poland during the Holocaust, and smuggled food into the ghetto. They were honored after the war for their bravery and family values. Stefania supported the group by selling sweaters and doing odd jobs.
The Podgórski sisters were two Polish Catholic sisters who helped hide people of the Jewish faith in their home during the Holocaust. In addition to hiding 13 Jews, all of whom survived the war, the sisters also smuggled food into the German-founded ghetto, risking their lives in an attempt to save as many people as possible. For their contributions, the Podgórski sisters were honored after the war by numerous Jewish organizations, along with many other people across Europe who hid Jewish refugees during the war.
In 1942, Stefania Podgórski and her sister Helena lived in Przemysl, Poland. Stefania was 16 and her sister only six; the two lived alone because their father had died and their mother and brother had been taken to a forced labor camp. As German control over the city intensified, the Germans began expelling the Jewish population from the ghettos, forcing them into labor and concentration camps. Joseph Burzminski, who had known Stefania through her work, came to the nuns and asked for a night of refuge.
Although his plan was to stay just one night, Burzminski ended up staying until 1945 and eventually married Stefania. In addition to Joseph, the Podgórski sisters housed 12 others, including a doctor, dentist, and postman. The sisters ended up moving into a cottage to accommodate all the visitors, hiding them in the attic.
When a German officer moved in next door to the Podgórski sisters, they thought their plan was over, but they managed to keep their guests hidden, even when German soldiers entered the house. Stephanie often encouraged the group to pray for deliverance or heavenly assistance, crediting God’s efforts and good fortune for their survival during the war.
The heroic efforts of the Podgórski sisters were based on family values; Stefania remembered that her mother had taken her hospitality very seriously and that she had been told never to refuse a request for help. However, girls have also been pressured to take in refugees. One woman actually blackmailed Stefania, claiming she would report the Podgórski sisters unless she took her in, and when the girls were terrified, their equally frightened refugees pressured her out of fear of extermination.
Stefania Podgórski’s accomplishment is particularly remarkable when you consider the fact that she single-handedly supported 14 people at an early age, selling sweaters, working in factories and doing odd jobs to get by. The survival of all 13 refugees and Stefania’s sister is a testament to her courage and personal strength.
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