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FOR RECOGNITION BY THE YAD VASHEM INSTITUTE

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Those who were saved, or their families, can petition to have the honorary title of Righteous Among the Nations bestowed upon persons who gave aid to Jews during the Second World War. In rare cases, petitions can also be made by those who saved Jews, or the families of those who saved Jews, as well as other witnesses. However, their statements are considered secondary evidence, which is why it is essential to give as much information about those who were saved (names, addresses, etc.), in order to help historians contact them to verify the evidence.

Applications can be sent by mail or by fax to the Department of the Righteous Among the Nations at the Israeli Embassy in Poland, or directly to the Departament of the Righteous Among the Nations Yad Vashem in Israel.

The basic criteria considered for the title of Righteous Among the Nations are that a person:

  • actively participated in trying to rescue one or several Jews from the threat of death or deportation to a concentration camp
  • risked his or her life, freedom, and social position
  • was motivated by the desire to bring aid to persecuted Jews, and not, for example by monetary compensation, or any other aim, such as converting a Jew, or adopting a child, etc.
  • testimony of the person who was saved is available, or at least verifiable documentation describing the type of aid given and the circumstances.

Once an application has been accepted, the Yad Vashem Institute sends a letter to the person who sent in the petition, to those listed as witnesses, to the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, and to the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw informing that the title of Righteous Among the Nations has been granted.

Once the Israeli Embassy receives the letter from Yad Vashem, it organizes a ceremony to decorate the persons honored with the medal of the Righteous Among the Nations.

The decoration bestowed by Yad Vashem is an honorary title with no financial rewards tied to it. The Righteous (and in some cases also their closest family – spouses and children born before 1939) do receive military pensions in Poland.