“I Am Happy That Mrs. and Mr. Puttersznyt Have Survived the War and That They Are Happy Together.” Ryszard Lerczyński – the Only Righteous from Łódź Cover Image

„Cieszę się, że Państwo Putersznyt przeżyli wojnę i są ze sobą szczęśliwi”. Ryszard Lerczyński – jedyny łódzki Sprawiedliwy
“I Am Happy That Mrs. and Mr. Puttersznyt Have Survived the War and That They Are Happy Together.” Ryszard Lerczyński – the Only Righteous from Łódź

Author(s): Michał Trębacz
Subject(s): Local History / Microhistory, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), History of the Holocaust, History of Antisemitism
Published by: Stowarzyszenie Centrum Badań nad Zagładą Żydów & IFiS PAN
Keywords: war; Holocaust; ghetto; Łódź; Litzmannstadt; Łódź ghetto; Righteous; help; shelter; hiding;

Summary/Abstract: For many years in historiography there persisted the conviction that the Łódź ghetto was completely isolated from the outside world. But recent research has proved that although the Łódź closed quarter was indeed more isolated than other ghettoes, it was definitely not hermetic as contacts, though on a small scale, were maintained throughout the occupation. This thesis finds confirmation in the help provided to Ruchla Frymar and Chaim Putersznyt by Ryszard Lerczyński. This individual story shows what the Polish-Jewish relations in Litzmannstadt looked like. The story of the only Łódź Righteous among the Nations makes it possible to understand the circumstances in which help was provided in that big city, at the same time leaving open the question as to why those instances were so few and far between.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 16
  • Page Range: 414-420
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: Polish