Franciszek Banaś (born 12th of February, 1901 in Gdów) belonged to Bartoszowa team (organization of military preparation). As seventeen-year-old he joined the battalion of sappers. He was a soldier of the Wielkopolska division during the Polish-Soviet war on the Northern front. He was seriously wounded in the head under the Kozłowa village in Podole region. „In 1922, he turned the military uniform for the police one. […] as the best student of Warsaw police school he moved to became a policeman in Cracow. He served as an officer in the police station of Kazimierz district , and since 1924 in the Zwierzyniec district, in the river police on the Vistula river”.

In 1939, when the second world war started, he saved many official documents and evacuated museum exhibits from Cracow to Sandomierz. However the materials sank in the shelling. He participated in the battle for the bridge on the Sled near Leżajsk, and later in the battle of Sokalem. „In Łuck he was disarmed and in the mass arrests of Polish military and police officers by the Soviet authorities, not surrendering to a captivity, he broke through the front and returned to Cracow.” Under penalty of death took the job as a policeman. Worked in the area of Kościuszki 46 street in Cracow.

In 1940 entered into ZWZ and adopted the pseudonym „Stefan”. He was an interrogator of the Central Intelligence Group „Żelbet” Home Army in Cracow. He collected information about squealer’s and informed people about planned arrests.

„By the order of the police chief, major Ludwig Drożański he served in the Cracow ghetto during the whole period of its existence, starting in March 1941 until March 1943, where he was an intermediary in the delivery of mail, medicine, fuel, food, and also passed information to trusted people about the plans prepared against the Jewish population in the ghetto”. When he was on guard at the entrance to the ghetto, he allowed many Jews to pass to the „Aryan” side. He gave them advice on where to go to avoid meetings German officers.

In 1943, the day after the liquidation of the ghetto in Cracow police and other officers were cleaning the streets. On the street were laying dozens bodies of dead Jews. Franciszek was then among cleaners. Suddenly he was approached by a woman with child, who barely could stand on her legs. She said his name. German – witness of this situation was very surprised. Franciszek managed to convince him to let the mother and child go and forget about this situation. The German agreed to 160 zl of a bribe and half a liter of vodka, which he was supposed to receive later. That’s how Franciszek saved Róża Jakubowicz and her son Tadeusz.

Another story of help that Franciszek provided to person of Jewish origin took place at Kosciuszki street, where in April 1942 he hid Irina O. The Germans learned of her stay and were going to shoot her. The woman before her death, wanted to receive the sacrament of Holy baptism. Despite late hours priest Ferdynand Machay and Franciszek Banaś went to the condemned. When the priest learned that the woman is a Jew, he had great concern about baptizing her. Knowledge of the women and sincere requests convinced the priest that the sacrament will be valid. Banaś became Irena’s godfather. Woman after the war contacted with priest. Despite the many crises in which she could have died – she survived.

Franciszek not only saved Róża Jakubowicz, her son Tadeusz and Irina O., but also Miriam Schein, Rabbi Lewertow with his two sons, Hoffman family (parents and two children) and two sisters Dorthaimer. After the war Franciszek Banaś was hiding under a false name away from Cracow. The Communist authorities persecuted him, and his closest family until 1956. In 1970 he wrote a memoir called ” Franciszek Banaś – my memories” which was published in 2009 by IPN publisher.

At the request of Róża Jakubowicz he was awarded by the Institute Yad Vashem, with honorary Israeli title of „the Righteous among the Nations of the World.” „The rest of his life he was accused of being a blue policeman and a member of Home Army.”

Franciszek Banaś died on 8th of May 1985 in Cracow.

Bibliography:

  1. M. Bochenek Drogami żołnierzy „Żelbetu”, „Nasz Dziennik”, wydanie z 25 stycznia 2005.
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  5. PS, Bogate wspomnienia z niezwykłego życia, „Dziennik Polski” wydanie z 2 listopada 2009.
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  7. FLV, List od Anny Sikory [córka] z 25.07.2013, Kraków.