HEROIC FORESTER
Zbigniew Czechowicz shared with us the story of his parents Mieczysław and Irena Czechowicz from the village of Kamienica and his uncle Jerzy from Majdan near Drohobycz. Zbigniew’s parents and his uncle Jerzy gave shelter to the four-person Bodnar family of Jewish origin.
– Jesus Christ, Jurek! Is that you? – Irene couldn’t believe her eyes. Her brother, Jurek which she thought was dead, stood at the door of her house in the Kamienica village near Łącko. The woman was speechless out of emotion, and tears stood in her eyes. Before the war, Jerzy lived in Majdan near Drohobycz and worked in the State Forestry.In September 1939 he was recruited to the army, and then he was taken prisoner of war, after which he became missing. His family was sent to Siberia.
– Will you let me in, Irene? – Jerzy smiled. – Jurek, darling, come on in quickly! – she sober up from initial stunting. Together with Mieczysław, Irena’s husband, they offered to keep Jerzy with them. But the man was drawn home. So after some time he got together and set off for Majdan. Soon after his return he met his friend from the State Forestry, Bodnar, a Jew.
– Jurek, you know what’s going on… The Germans hand in hand with the UPs beating us like flies. Please hide us… We have two children – an acquaintance turned to Jerzy. – Well, it will have to be organized somehow – a Pole agreed. And so the four-member Jewish family found shelter. But not for long. UPA troops have been making bloody raids. Jerzy felt a growing danger. He was afraid that sooner or later they would come for him. – We have to get out of here, we will take shelter with my sister Irena Czechowicz in the Kamienica – Jerzy informed the Bodnars. It was April 1944.
The fugitives stayed with the Czechowicz family until July 20, the day of the attempted assassination of Hitler. It was then that the guerrillas disarmed the German post, and the Germans, as revenge, pacified the whole village. The Bodnars managed to escape and survive until the end of the war. Later, they left for Israel. For a long time afterwards, they maintained contact with those who, risking their own lives, to saved their lives.
