The Rescued

“It was a paradox – in the bunker I felt much better than outside before I came to Sława. I wasn’t so frightened there.”(Arieh Nativ, survivor)

Arieh Nativ is one of the four children from the basement, who emmigrated to Israel after the war. He was among 7 children who stayed in the basement. The youngest was Anna Lindt, who went into hiding with her parents when she was only 3 years old.

Sława recalls that children were the most disciplined – silent, kind, they never had troubles concerning them. In contrast, the adults caused sometimes additional dangers in those difficult times.

Two children were born in the basement. They were the only ones who could not survive the hiding. Sława neither wanted to know about it back then, nor she talked about it afterwards. When she came back in her memories to the cruel past, she always felt sorry for those who needed to hide. “I wish happiness to all the children in the world and I wish that they all can play – the children in our basement couldn’t play” (Sława).

Among the first who went into hiding was the family of Wolf Stock, the constructor of the hideout – his two daughters, Stella and Mitka with their house maid. Later on he and his wife, Tova, joined them. Beside them following families hid in the basement:

• Miszel family (5 persons)
• Klinghoffer family (4 persons)
• Tepper family (3 persons)
• Lindt family (3 persons)
• Hendel family (3 persons)
• Strasser family (3 persons)
• The family of Levi (3 persons)

Among the hiding were three doctors, who could help the others in situations when health was endangered. They conducted an operation on Helena Frey, when they refused to do it in the hospital.

The Hendel family came to Drohobycz from Germany, their daughter – Lizi (later on Hadassa Wygodny) – learned in the basement how to speak Polish which she remembers until now.

The survivors left Poland and lived in different countries – US, Canada, Australia. The Stock family, Hendel family and Strasser family went to Israel. Some of the survivors didn’t keep on touch with Sława and Izydor. Others wrote them and called and treated the Wołosiański couple as part of their families.

The survivors in Israel took care of awarding them by Yad Vashem – they got the Righteous title already in 1967. Afterwards they made enormous efforts to make it possible for the Wołosiański to come to Israel. In 1983 Tova Stock wrote to Sława:

“Risking your own life, you saved, with our unforgettable Izek, 39 people. Many of them died already but with a death given by God and from murderers’ hands. I am already 80 years old, Mrs. Hendel 84, we want to see you before our lives will end and hug you warmly to show you at least in this way our gratitude and sincere love.”

In 1984 Sława visited Israel for the first time and came back again and again.

The rescued people and Sława Wołosiańska, Yad Vashem 1984

The daughters and grandchildren of Wołosiański are in touch with the children and grandchildren of the Stocks, Hendels and Strassers.

We are very grateful to Arieh Nativ, Stella Arad, Shuly Alexander and Hadassa Wygodny for meeting our group in Israel in 2006 and 2007 and telling us stories from their past.