Władysław Bartoszewski was born on February 19, 1922 in Warsaw. He was a writer, historian, journalist, academic lecturer and social activist.
During World War II, he was a prisoner of Auschwitz and a soldier of the Home Army with the rank of second lieutenant. He participated in the activities of the Government Delegation for Poland and the Secret Council to Aid Jews called “Żegota”. In April 1943, he co-organized aid for participants of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
He took part in the Warsaw Uprising. After the war, he was arrested twice by the communist authorities on the false charges of espionage. In the 1980s, he was interned. He was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs twice, Polish ambassador to Austria, chairman of the Council for the Protection of Memory of Struggle and Martyrdom. Moreover, he was the secretary of state in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. He was awarded Knight of the Order of the White Eagle for helping Jews during the war. He was a honorary citizen of the of Israel, awarded the “Righteous Among the Nations” medal. Władysław Bartoszewski died on April 24, 2015 in Warsaw.
Author of numerous articles and documentaries concerning the occupation period. One of his most important publications is: “Warsaw Death Ring 1939-1944”. It tells, among others, about circumstances of the mass execution of Pawiak prisoners executed in Treblinka, on March 2, 1942.
Below you can find the link to the film titled “Warto być przyzwoitym” (eng. It’s worth being decent), prepared by the Museum of Independence with regard to the Year 2022 dedicated to Władysław Bartoszewski.
Photo: Władysław Bartoszewski (public domain)