On March 24, 1944, in the village of Markowa in German-occupied Poland, Józef Ulma, his wife Wiktoria—then heavily pregnant—and their six children (the eldest was 8 years old, the youngest a year and a half) were murdered. Their only “crime”? Hiding Jewish neighbors in their home, who were massacred together with them. The martyrdom of the Ulma family, now beatified, has become a symbol of the sacrifice of Poles who helped Jews. For this reason, the anniversary of their tragic death—March 24—is commemorated in Poland as the National Day of Remembrance of Poles Who Saved Jews under German Occupation.

It is worth recalling that, over the centuries, Poland was one of the most welcoming countries for Jews, who came to constitute a significant part of the population: 3.5 million people, about 10% of the total.

Germany began World War II with the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. In occupied Poland, the Germans began persecuting the Jewish population: as early as November 1939, all Jews over the age of 10 were required to wear an armband with a blue Star of David. Their property was confiscated, ghettos (over 400) were established, and people were deported to labor and extermination camps.

In 1941, the decision was made to implement the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question,” which envisaged the mass extermination of this community. The Polish government-in-exile and the Polish underground state undertook intensive efforts to save the Jewish population in danger.

The Catholic Church responded as best it could: on the one hand condemning persecution and extermination, and on the other organizing material aid and hiding Jews in religious houses and monasteries. Most importantly, it encouraged all forms of assistance, especially through the personal example of bishops, priests, and nuns, who in those dark and inhumane times put into practice the idea of Christian love for one’s neighbor. In addition to institutional assistance, many Poles provided individual help to Jews. It is estimated that, thanks to such aid, around 100,000 Polish Jews were saved. According to the decree of the German Governor General of October 15, 1941, those who provided direct assistance to Jews were sentenced to death. Nevertheless, many Poles, risking their own lives and those of their families, offered various forms of help to Jews condemned to extermination by Nazi Germany. It is worth noting that of the 28,217 Righteous Among the Nations recognized by the Yad Vashem Institute, fully one quarter—7,232—are Poles.

Among the places that commemorate Polish heroes who helped Jews during the German occupation of Poland are the Chapel of Memory and the Memory Park in the city of Toruń.

The Chapel of Memory, located in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the New Evangelization and Saint John Paul II, is a unique monument on an international scale, created to honor Poles who risked their lives and those of their families to save Jews. The initiator and patron of this project is Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, founder and director of Radio Maryja.

Next to the church, the National Memory Park was created as a place of tribute to all Poles who, in the ultimate test of humanity, preserved human dignity during the hell of the German occupation of the country. In the park, 180 three-meter-high pedestals, arranged along a granite-paved avenue, bear the names of more than 28,000 Poles who saved Jews from death during World War II. In a separate area, there are another 20 pedestals commemorating 2,805 members of the clergy who saved Jews. Currently, the park commemorates 31,485 individuals who preserved their humanity in inhumane times.

This year in Toruń, the celebrations of the Day had a particularly solemn character: among those attending the ceremony at the Chapel of Memory were the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, former President Andrzej Duda, and a representative of the Embassy of Israel.

Speaking about the Polish heroes, Nawrocki said: “They overcame cruelty with Christian values. That is why Poland is proud of them today. We are deeply grateful to have become a living, though tragic, testimony of our national community—open to others and committed to the values of love and mercy. A compassionate community ready to sacrifice for others, but also determined to defend the values that have shaped us as a nation.”

During the ceremony, the President unveiled a commemorative plaque bearing seven new names of Poles murdered for helping Jews. These names were added to the remaining 1,242 names engraved on the wall of the Chapel of Memory of Polish Martyrs.

We must not forget that the vast majority of Poles who helped Jews were motivated by religious reasons, seeking to put into practice the Christian commandment of love for one’s neighbor. For this reason, along the Chapel of Memory runs the inscription with the words of Jesus: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).