Leonard Bogucki graduated from medical school in Cracow. After his marriage with Maria, in 1943 he moved to Leżajsk. That’s where his children, a daughter and a son, were born. The town was home to many Jewish families. Leonard, as the only doctor in the neighborhood was a well respected man, he also had very good relations with the Jews, who mostly dealt in trade. His attitude towards the others remained always the same, no matter the danger he was putting himself in. He always fought for the lives of others – as a doctor and as a person. „When going on an official visit to a Jewish house, he often diagnosed the disease as typhus. Which often made the Nazis reconsider going inside and gave them around two weeks worth of time to fake their death or organize escape”1.

Maria Bogucka was also not indifferent to the fate of the Jewish population. Daughter of Bogucki mentions a certain story: „[…] I remember a story about the Jewish father from a large family, hiding from Germans, but every night he stood outside our kitchen’s door, and mother always gave him food. She always remembered to get rid of the labels and stickers, so as not to leave any traces of where they came from”.2 However, she forgot about doing it once. There was a sticker with the baker’s name, on the loaf of bread that she gave to the Jew. Unfortunately, the Jew was captured.3 „The Gestapo led him, chained, with a loaf of bread under his arm”. When Mary learned about his capture, she immediately packed her kids and decided to move them. She thought, that the Jew will give her away. She was trying to protect her loved ones. „Despite the questioning and, most likely, torture, he kept his dignity, and never rated anyone out, saying that he stole the bread”.4 It is not know, what fate awaited him in the end. He could have been executed or sent to a death camp.

Maria Bogucka took care of his wife and children for some time. She hid them in the basement of the presbytery. One day she found a safe haven in the countryside and moved his whole family there.

Bibliography:

  1. FLV, Relacja Kamili Krzeszowiak [córka] z 01.10.2013 r.