Antonina Wyrzykowska

Antonina Wyrzykowska, née Karwowska was a Polish Righteous Among the Nations known for helping Jews who fled the Jedwabne pogrom.

Biography

During the Nazi occupation of Poland Wyrzykowska sheltered several Jews on her farm. She was able to prevent the Germans from finding those she was helping by pouring gasoline around their hiding place, which put the Germans' dogs off their scent. She also smuggled food into the Łomża Ghetto, by donning a yellow badge. Following the liberation of Poland, Wyrzykowska was severely assaulted by members of the Home Army as punishment for helping her Jewish neighbours. In 2001 Wyrzykowska was unable to attend the unveiling of a new monument to the victims of the Jedwabne Pogrom out of fear of her Home Army attackers, three of whom still resided in the area. Her case has been highlighted by the historian Jan Grabowski as an example of the post-war retribution meted out by the Polish nationalist movement to Poles who had helped Jews during the Holocaust.

She was also decorated with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by Poland's President Lech Kaczyński. Her husband, Aleksander Wyrzykowski, was also honoured as Righteous Among the Nations.