Eugenia and Jan Rogowscy had three children. Czesław was born in 1935, Stanisława in 1938, and the youngest – Florian – in 1941. The family lived together with Jan’s parents – Paweł and Anna Rogowscy and his sister Antonina Rogowska. Their house was located in the village Usznia (tarnopolskie region). Today it is the territory of Ukraine.

Jan and his father were blacksmiths, they worked at a local forge. Eugenia was a housewife. Eight-person family worked hard to be able to buy food for themselves as the Germans took away all of their cattle, despite the fact that the family would have nothing to eat. Though they didn’t live in prosperity, they still helped those who were in need.

The first Jew for whom they found shelter, hid on Katarzyna’s Chłopecka house – she was Eugenia’s aunt. In 1942 the woman got to Rogowskich family. Later she was joined by Mrs. Łajka.

One day Jan found in his barn hiding Nina. She was also allowed to stay in the house. Fifteen-year-old Nina knew that her father was dead. Together with her mother she escaped from the ghetto. They walked only at nights and hid in the fields. On one day Nina fall asleep from fatigue, and when she woke up her mom was gone. She have never seen her again. Later she got to know that the woman was murdered. Nina reached Usznia village alone. It appeared that at Rogowscys’ was hiding her aunt with her daughter. The family agreed that the girl should join them.

The decision to help had to be for them very difficult. At their house lived Germans, who kept in the barn their motorcycles. In the same barn was also hiding another Jewish women. Women knew that they must be very quiet, because the slightest movement could betray them. But after all they managed to survive.

When the war ended, Nina remained in contact with those who saved her life. At the begging correspondence with foreign countries was difficult because of Poland situation. However, women did not give up and met after many years.

Nina Frenkel, in a letter from 1995 Recalls the occupation: „to bring food to you I called „PIP, PIP, PIP, ” ‒ as you give call hens to give them food”. She also notes that they were not left alone and, whenever possible, they received information about the situation in the world: „Sometimes Jan let us know how was the front, was it approaching.” Nina didn’t hesitate to tell the world who have saved her thanks for what Rogowscys were awarded with the highest Israeli prize. On 8th of March, 1999 Institute Yad Vashem titled Jan and Eugenia Rogowscy with the title of Righteous among the Nations of the World.

Bibliography:

  1. Świadectwo Eugenii Rogowskiej (dot. Sprawy 10677, Yad Vashem, P.O.B. 3477, 91034).
  2. FLV, List od Stanisławy Gancarz (córka), Wrocław, 1.09.2013 r.
  3. FLV, nagranie audio, sygn. Rogowscy Jan i Eugenia, relacja Stanisławy Gancarz (córka Rogowskich) z 29.08.2013 r.