Helenów (Poświętne) |

Commemorated

Called by Name

Józef Dmoch
Józefa Dmoch
Jan Kowalski

Jews who received help

and about ten people unknown by name and surname

We’II never see each other again

Józefa and Józef Dmoch lived in Helenów with their six children. Before the war they traded at the Stanisławów market and knew many local Jews.

In summer 1943, they took in a group of about ten Jews whom they hid in the barn. Shortly afterwards, a German expedition arrived in Helenów. Upon noticing the gendarmes, the Dmoch children hid in the forest. The Jews also attempted to flee, but two of them were shot to death and two others were caught. The gendarmes arrested Józefa and Józef Dmoch, and on the way back they also captured deputy village elder Jan Kowalski and his wife Ludwika. The Kowalskis were arrested on suspicion that they knew that the Dmochs were helping Jews and failed to inform the occupation authorities.

The Germans murdered the two Jewish arrestees at the gendarmerie station in Radzymin. Following interrogations, Ludwiko Kowalska was released. Józefa and Józef Dmoch along with Jan Kowalski were executed on 15 July 1943.

The murdered JÓZEFA and JÓZEF DMOCH. Prior to the execution, JÓZEFA DMOCH pleaded with the Germans to spare LUDWIKA KOWALSKA, saying that she did not know anything about helping Jews. Thanks to her statement, Ludwika evaded death.
The murdered JAN KOWALSKI wearing the uniform of the 85th Wilno Rifle Regiment.
Wedding photograph of the murdered JAN KOWALSKI and LUDWIKA KOWALSKA.
MARIANNA SZULICH née DMOCH, daughter of the murdered JÓZEFA and JÓZEF DMOCH, pictured with her husband JAN SZULICH and their daughters TERESA (on the day of her First Communion) and Halina, 1957 rok.
The commemoration in Poświętne, 14 June 2022.
The commemoration in Poświętne, 14 June 2022.
The commemoration in Poświętne, 14 June 2022.
The commemoration in Poświętne, 14 June 2022.
The commemoration in Poświętne, 14 June 2022.