One of the most famous Warsaw underground organizations during World War II was Żegota. It was one of the few groups that worked to save Jews. It was founded by the Polish government, which was in exile as a result of the occupation. The members and organizers of Żegota were well-known Polish public and political figures, including Zofia Kossak, Irena Sendler, and Jan Dobrachinski.
Żegota was not just an underground organization. It was a separate chapter in Polish history that played a significant role in the course of future events. That is why we want to tell the story of this organization in our article on warsawyes.com.
History and activities of the organization
Żegota, or the Council for Aid to Jews, was a humanitarian underground organization that existed from 1942 to 1945. It was a body of the Polish government-in-exile, created to help Jews who had suffered as a result of the actions of the occupiers. To this day, not much information about Żegota’s activities has survived. However, in our article, we have collected some interesting facts from the history of the organization.
When, in 1941, the German authorities began the mass extermination of Jews, organizing their deportation to death camps and conducting active propaganda, the Jewish group of the Information Department of the Home Army Headquarters’ Information and Propaganda Office could not stand aside. At that time, the headquarters was actively gathering all information about the fate of Polish Jews in order to confirm the cruel actions of the occupying authorities. After confirming the extermination of the Jewish people, a decision was made to help the Jews.
It was at this time, on August 11, 1942, that the famous Polish writer Zofia Kossak-Sztutowska was the first to publicly call for an end to the persecution and extermination of Jews. At that time, the writer was the chairwoman of the Polish Front of Rebirth, which allowed her to issue a call for protest (five thousand copies were published).
In order to organize and systematize the aid and rescue of Jews, the Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews (Żegota) was established in 1942. Zofia Kossak-Sztutowska became the head of the organization, believing that it should be run exclusively by Poles and Jews. Obviously, the organization was forced to operate underground. All members risked their lives, as exposure meant death.
In order to be as helpful as possible while remaining inconspicuous, the council decided to focus on several key aspects of aid to Jews. This consisted primarily of providing financial, housing, medical, legal, and child support to Jews who had suffered as a result of crimes committed by the occupying authorities.
How did Żegota operate?
The members of the underground organization very quickly organized assistance for Jews. First, they helped children: they hid them in foster families, orphanages, or other institutions that were able to operate underground. Families who agreed to hide Jewish children received financial assistance. Irena Sendler played an important role in Żegota’s activities, helping more than 2,500 children.
To expand its capabilities, Żegota also collaborated with various public and religious organizations. Many religious institutions provided Jews with certificates of Catholic baptism, which literally saved their lives. Public organizations helped to produce false documents (a total of more than 50,000 were issued). It should be added that the documents were provided to Jews absolutely free of charge.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Żegota’s activities was the provision of high-quality and affordable medical care to Jews. Many Jews were afraid to go to doctors for fear of being exposed. With the assistance of Żegota, even the most complex operations were performed in underground and home settings.
According to the organization’s estimates, it saved more than 50,000 Jews.
