Tibor Baranski saved more than 3,000 Jewish individuals in Budapest during the final months of the Second World War. A seminary student forced to abandon his studies as the Soviet army approached in 1944, he successfully petitioned the Vatican representative for official protection papers, eventually orchestrating large-scale rescue operations before his own arrest by Soviet forces.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1922 in Budapest, Baranski was the son of Reszl Baranski and Maria Schelnader. His family roots in Hungary extended back seven centuries. He attended Hungarian Gymnasia before entering religious studies in Veszprém in 1940 and later in Kassa in 1943. During this period, he became acutely aware of state-sanctioned antisemitism, including the legislation passed between 1938 and 1941 that stripped hundreds of thousands of Hungarian citizens of their professions and voting rights.
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In October 1944, Baranski returned to Budapest and approached Papal Nuncio Monsignor Angelo Rotta. After demonstrating the efficacy of using Vatican papers to protect the friends of his aunt, Margit Sterneder, Baranski was recruited by Rotta. Over a nine-week period, he utilized his position to facilitate the rescue of thousands of lives. His efforts occurred amidst the German occupation of Hungary and the subsequent rise of the Government of National Unity.
Imprisonment and Post-war Life
On December 30, 1944, Baranski was arrested by the Soviet military. He survived a 160-mile forced march towards a prison camp before escaping and returning to Budapest. In 1948, the post-war government arrested him on charges of clerical reaction, resulting in a nine-year prison sentence. He eventually settled in upstate New York, working as an educator and raising a family with his wife.
Recognition and Legacy
In 1979, Yad Vashem recognized Baranski as Righteous Among the Nations for his actions during the Holocaust. He also served as a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. He lived in the United States until his death in Buffalo in 2019.
Fast facts
- Born: 1922, Budapest
- Died: 2019, Buffalo
- Citizenship: Hungary, United States
- Recognition: Righteous Among the Nations (1979)
- Primary Wartime Role: Representative of Papal Nuncio Angelo Rotta
- Estimated Lives Saved: Over 3,000
- Education: Seminary student in Veszprém and Kassa
- Post-War Profession: Theologian and lecturer
Questions readers ask
What motivated Tibor Baranski to begin his rescue efforts?
He initially sought to save a Jewish family who were close friends of his aunt, leading him to secure official documentation from the Vatican representative.
How was Baranski recognized for his actions?
He was named one of the Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem on January 11, 1979.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1979
- Worked as theologian and lecturer
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