A year ago, the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin published a book that became a bestseller in Italy and the US, among other countries, and was awarded the prestigious Cardinal Giordano Prize. The book is “They even killed children. The story of the Ulma family, martyrs who helped Jews” by Manuela Tulli and Fr. Paweł Rytel-Andrianik. The publication is available free of charge and can be downloaded from the KUL website.

The book reveals the profound moral and spiritual heritage of the Ulma family, who became an extraordinary example of courage, love, and faith. The reader learns about the rescuing family, but also about those who were rescued, their Jewish neighbors—the Goldmans, the Grünfelds, and the Didners. The publication also presents testimonies of graces received through the intercession of the Ulms by a family from Maryland in the United States.

The blessed Ulms gave their lives so that others could live. They helped Jews by hiding them on their farm in Podkarpacie. Józef Ulma, the 44-year-old breadwinner of the family, was the first to be killed by the occupiers. The Germans also shot the farmer’s wife, Wiktoria, who was 12 years younger. At the time of her death, she was in the last month of her pregnancy. Shortly afterwards, the Germans killed 8-year-old Stanisława, 6-year-old Barbara, 5-year-old Władysław, 4-year-old Franciszek, and 3-year-old Antoni. The youngest victim, Maria, was only 1.5 years old.

National Day of Polish Children of War was established by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on July 13, 2023. September 10 is to be a symbolic commemoration of the suffering of the Children of War and their contribution to the reconstruction of Poland from the destruction of war.

Children became the most vulnerable victims of the dehumanized goals of war criminals. The intention of the German and Soviet occupiers was to biologically destroy the Polish nation, enslave it, and deprive it of its autonomy and freedom. To this end, various methods of cruelty were used, particularly against children. Poland suffered the relatively highest human losses in World War II.