The Zajaczkowski Family
Ryszard Zajączkowski Father
Regina Zajączkowska Mother
Izabela Stasiuk- Zajączkowska née Zajączkowska Daughter
Maria Janiak- Zajączkowska née Zajączkowska Daughter
Ryszard Zajączkowski Son
born 30 April 1923 in Rejowiec (lubelskie)
Recognized as the Righteous Among the Nations:
6 December 1984
- Maria Janiak- Zajączkowska née Zajączkowska
- Izabela Stasiuk- Zajączkowska née Zajączkowska
- Regina Zajączkowska
- Ryszard Zajączkowski
- Ryszard Zajączkowski
Help Was Extended to:
Irena Franciak
Anna Franciak
Story of Rescue
March 2011, Magdalena Leszczyńska/translation Richard Biały
The Zajączkowskis came from the town of Włodzimierz Wołyński. During the war, the whole family – Regina with her son Ryszard as well as her daughters with their own families, Izabela Stasiuk and Maria Janiak – lived in one house.
During the German occupation the Stasiuks took in Irena Franciak and her daughter Anna. The local parish priest recommended the woman as a Pole who had lost her whole family and was looking for work. The Yad Vashem Encyclopaedia contains information that Irena's true surname was Gelman, and that she arrived in Włodzimierz after escaping from the Lwów ghetto.
Regina Zajączkowski, and later also her children, realized that Irena must be Jewish. In time Irena herself admitted this. Despite their not particularly favourable attitude towards Jews, the Zajączkowski family gave refuge to Irena and Anna until the end of the German occupation.
After the war, Irena Gelman and her daughter left for Lwów, and later emigrated to Israel.