Poles and Jews living together in fraternity. And later, in the dramatic circumstances of the German occupation - fighting for life. The unique exhibition "Samaritans from Markowa", documenting the tragic history of the Ulma family and the shocking everyday reality of the extermination of the Jewish community, was presented at the Sejm. The exhibition was opened by the Speaker of the Sejm. - The photographs on display tell the story of a family whose war took away all their dreams and put them to the greatest test of any human being. The test of true humanity - Marek Kuchciński said.
The exhibition consists of 20 panels presenting, among others, documents and photographs of the Ulma family and the life of the Polish and Jewish community in Markowa. It also presents the reality of the occupation when anyone who helped Jews faced the death penalty. Dr. Mateusz Szpytma, the author of the exhibition from the Institute of National Remembrance, begins his account with the tragic history of the Ulma family, describing examples of saving Jews in Markowa, where Poles saved the lives of 21 people. He also shows the scale of such help in the whole region. The exhibition is closed with the documents from the Ulma family beatification process and a diploma awarding Wiktoria and Józef with the title of the Righteous Among the Nations. The exhibition was initiated by deputy Kazimierz Gołojuch.
The exhibition in its current form was created a year ago in connection with the opening of the Ulma Family Museum of Poles Saving Jews During World War II in Markowa. It is a joint project of the Institute of National Remembrance in Krakow and the Marshal's Office of Podkarpackie Province. Thanks to the cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the exhibition was translated into more than a dozen language versions, which in 2016 were shown in dozens of places on six continents, including Berlin, Brasilia, Canberra, Chicago, New York, Paris, Tel Aviv, Moscow or Bangkok.
During the German occupation, Józef and Wiktoria Ulma were hiding eight Jews in their house in the village of Markowa: five men from the Goldman family from Łańcut and three Markowa residents - Lea (Layka) Didner with her daughter and Genia (Gołda) Grünfeld. As a result of informing the German authorities on March 24th 1944, all the Jews hidden by the Ulmas were killed. The Poles who were helping the Ulmas also lost their lives: Jozef Ulma, Wiktoria who was at an advanced stage of pregnancy, and their six little children. - The exhibition is a tribute to the Ulmas, but also to all people who had the courage to help Jewish families in those tragic times. - emphasized Speaker Kuchciński.
text: Chancellery of the Sejm
