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The Jewish Foundation for
the Righteous http://www.jfr.org/stories/anishkewicz.html Wanda Anishkewicz Zosina, Poland... November
1942 On November 22, 1942, the Germans liquidated the Ghetto in Dunilowicze,
Poland. They herded the Jews into a large barn and proceeded to murder
all 888 men, women, and children. Fearing such a day would come, Jeremiah
Slawin and his family had already made preparations to try to save themselves.
Jeremiah and his son, Leo, 11, had dug a hole under a dilapidated shed
behind their house. On the day the Ghetto was liquidated, Jeremiah took
his wife, Sonia, Leo, and his daughter Basia, 13, into the secret hiding
place. From their bunker they could hear the screams and shots as the
Jews of Dunilowicze were murdered. After three nights in their hiding
place, they knew they could no longer stay there and they fled into the
woods. The Slawin family sought food and shelter from several farmers.
They were turned away repeatedly. Finally, they arrived at the farm of
the Anishkewicz family whom Sonia knew from the general store she ran
before the war. Celina Anishkewicz opened the door and immediately took
them into her home, placed them near the stove for warmth, and cooked
them a hot meal. A widow, Celina, lived with her two daughters, Wanda,
who was then 17, and Bolesia, 14. Their family was very poor, their house
was old and they barely had enough to eat. But whatever they had they
shared with the Slawin family. Celina's married son, Jozef, would visit
often, bringing food and assistance. Jozef helped dig a hole under the
floor behind the stove. The Slawins lived in the house but hid in this
hole whenever people would approach. Wanda and Bolesia also cooked their
food, washed their clothes, and always stood guard at the window. |