Eighteen people of Jewish descent sought refuge in the Bielany home of Jerzy Zagórski and his wife Maria between 1942 and the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. This act of intervention during the German occupation of Poland occurred while Zagórski continued his literary activities in the underground, contributing texts to the magazine Sztuka i Naród.
Academic and Professional Foundations
Born in 1907 in Kyiv, Zagórski moved to Poland, where he eventually attended the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw. His professional life spanned several disciplines including law, linguistics, and translation. He was an active member of the Polish PEN Club and the literary group Żagary, establishing himself within the intellectual circles of the time.
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During the occupation, the Zagórski residence became a site of survival for individuals fleeing the Ghetto, including the Tenenbaum family and the poet Tadeusz Holender. They also hosted Danuta Grossfeld and a young boy named Janek Wilk, whom they introduced to neighbors as a relative. Following rumors regarding their activities, the couple relocated some of those in their care to ensure continued protection.
Literary Output
Zagórski maintained a prolific output of poetry and drama spanning five decades. His early works included Ostrze mostu in 1933 and Przyjście wroga in 1934. In 1944, he collaborated with Jerzy Andrzejewski to write the drama Święto Winkelrida, which saw publication in 1946. Subsequent collections and poems, such as Męska pieśń, Czas Lota, and Krawędź, defined his mid-career. His bibliography concludes with later titles including Tam, gdzie diabeł pisze listy and the 1975 work Komputerie i dylematy.
Post-War Recognition
Upon returning to Warsaw in 1945, the couple found their home destroyed. Despite the upheaval, they maintained contact with survivors, including Mrs. Kott in the United States and Janek Wilk in Germany. In 1978, Yad Vashem formally recognized their wartime actions by naming Jerzy and Maria Zagórski as Righteous Among the Nations. Zagórski died in 1984 and is buried at the Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.
Fast facts
- Born: 1907, Kyiv
- Died: 1984, Warsaw
- Education: University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration
- Literary Group: Żagary
- Award: Righteous Among the Nations (1978)
- Burial Site: Powązki Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Jerzy Zagórski's primary contribution to literature?
He was a poet, essayist, and translator who produced numerous collections, dramas, and poems throughout his career, including Ostrze mostu and Czas Lota.
Why was Jerzy Zagórski awarded Righteous Among the Nations?
He and his wife, Maria, hid eighteen people of Jewish descent in their home between 1942 and 1944, risking their lives to protect them from the German occupation.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1978
- Worked as linguist, translator and poet
- Educated at Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Warsaw
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