The Potrzebowski Family
Jan Potrzebowski Father
born 1897 – died 1972
Natalia Potrzebowska Mother
Krystyna Kozłowska née Potrzebowska Daughter
born 10 May 1928
Helena Klapecka- Donalis née Potrzebowska Daughter
born 31 August 1918
Recognized as the Righteous Among the Nations:
6 December 1984
- Helena Klapecka- Donalis née Potrzebowska
- Krystyna Kozłowska née Potrzebowska
- Natalia Potrzebowska
- Jan Potrzebowski
Help Was Extended to:
Misza Gedlblum
Natalia Mochrowska
Maria Goldblum
Maria Geszyechter
Hanna Geszyechter
Eugenia Geszyechter
Krystyna Lastreger née Zambrowska
Roma Goldzand
Dora Goldzand
Bronisława Norowicz
Henryk Zandman
Jakub Reichman
Story of Rescue
October 2010, Jakub Beczek
In 1930, Jan and Natalia Potrzebowski, together with their daughters Krystyną (later Kozłowska-Potrzebowska) and Helena, resided in Warsaw. Jan was caretaker of a tenement building in suburban Śniadecki Street.
During the time of the occupation, many Jews found shelter in this building. Potrzebowski hid them in his own apartment and sought shelter for them with his relatives or with residents of his building. He also prepared a hiding-place under the elevator for use in times of danger.
After the War, he recalled, “I agreed to help because I sympathised with them and I saw how they in danger”.
Jan Potrzebowski made contact with a member of the Jewish National Committee underground in Warsaw, Natalia Mochorowska. Through her, seven people arrived at Śniadecki Street. Ghetto escapees also reached the caretaker with the help of his neighbour, Mr. Jarkowski. In the Potrzebowski apartment, Mochorowska met Dawid Guzik, finance director of the American-Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (Joint) In Poland.
After the War, the Potrzebowski family remained in close contact with the majority of those Jews whom they had rescued.