Object numberM2009/039:112
DescriptionLetter in Polish sent from Jan Smolko from Mszczonow in Poland petitioning to Yad Vashem for financial assistance. Jan Smolko and his wife Wladyslawa played an important role in the survival of Dr. Moses Turek and his brother Menachem, hiding and providing shelter. In this letter, Jan Smolko describes how he used to help Jewish people by providing them with false documents which he obtained from the parish records which he had access to as the local church organist. He describes his situation during the war and current situation (1985) in an attempt to convince the recipient why he needs financial assistance. For his efforts, Jan and his wife Wladyslawa received the medal of the "Righteous among the Nations".
During the German occupation of Poland, Jan Smolko's financial status was very good, having worked at the Tykocin church as an organist. Having resided in Tykocin for 15 years, he knew the district well and was well acquainted with the Tykocin community which helped him in providing material and moral support to the Jewish people who came to him for help. He would use the parish records to provide documentation for the Jews. Risking himself and his family, Jan did not gain financially; his motive was to save their lives. Now (1985), living off a low pension which was a result of having bad insurance, he is finding it hard to survive. For these reasons he requested financial assistance from Yad Vashem.
Dr Moses Turek was born 6 June 1908 in Tykocin, Poland, to the Jewish doctor Abraham Turek and his wife Sarah. In 1928, Moses began his medical studies in the Karlov Medical faculty, Prague. In 1931, Moses was accepted into Wilno University, within a strict quota of Jewish students. In 1935, while at Wilno hospital, Moses met and married Raya, a nurse. In 1936, their daughter Ada was born.
After the German and Russian Non-Aggression Pact, Tykocin became Russian occupied and Moses was placed in charge of the new community hospital. Meanwhile, his brother Isaac was arrested due to involvement with the local chamber of commerce and a Zionist organisation. Eventually, Isaac and his parents were deported to a camp in Siberia.
In June 1941, the Germans broke the Non-Aggression Agreement and once again Tykocin became German occupied. On 26 August 1941, all the Jews were ordered to assemble in the main square on the following Monday. Thinking that the Germans would shoot the men but not harm the women, Moses and his brother Menachem sought refuge at the house of a Polish friend.
Eventually they ended up in Bialystok, joined the Jewish community in the ghetto, and worked at the hospital. Hoping to find his family, Moses visited patients in the country side whenever he could. Mr Lupecki, a friend and former patient, visited Moses in the ghetto and devised a plan to sneak him and his brother out.
On 28 January 1943, they escaped by mingling with workers walking out the main gates. The Lupecki's hid them in their barn. But when Lupecki became head of production (of food and crops), the farm was no longer a safe hiding place. They moved to the Chojnacki farm: the owners in their 70s, the farm very rundown, welcomed their help and the two brothers had a small amount of money to help pay for their keep. The brothers moved many times between the Chojnacki's farm and other Poles who risked their lives to hide them.
On 11 August 1944, the Russians defeated the Germans in Tykocin. When Moses and Menachem learned that a Soviet artillery regiment had been stationed in Tykocin to guarantee the town's protection, they decided to go back home. Their father's house had survived so Moses moved in and began searching for his family. He received a card from Siberia, from his sister-in-law Malka Szymenczyk, advising him that his parents and brother were well. From another source, Moses learnt that his youngest brother Gregory, who had joined the British Army, had been killed. By 25 August 1944, Moses discovered that his wife Raya and daughter Ada, along with most of the Tykocin Jews ordered to assemble in the main square three years earlier, were massacred and buried in death pits in the forest.
In 1945 spring, the Jews of Tykocin decided to move to Bialystok to be part of a stronger community. The Polish pro-Soviet Government appointed Moses to organise medical services in the district hospital. He was awarded two medals, the Silver Cross of Merit and a bronze decoration for Victory and Freedom by the Polish Government.
Moses married Raya's sister Malka (as is custom in Jewish law) and a year later they had their first son, Gregory. For three years they stayed in Bialystok, but, eventually, the old prejudices drove the family to Australia. In 1949, they arrived in Sydney. Moses' Polish medical qualifications were not recognised so he retrained at the University of Sydney, studying for three years. In 1957, he renounced his Polish citizenship and become an Australian.
During the German occupation of Poland, Jan Smolko's financial status was very good, having worked at the Tykocin church as an organist. Having resided in Tykocin for 15 years, he knew the district well and was well acquainted with the Tykocin community which helped him in providing material and moral support to the Jewish people who came to him for help. He would use the parish records to provide documentation for the Jews. Risking himself and his family, Jan did not gain financially; his motive was to save their lives. Now (1985), living off a low pension which was a result of having bad insurance, he is finding it hard to survive. For these reasons he requested financial assistance from Yad Vashem.
Dr Moses Turek was born 6 June 1908 in Tykocin, Poland, to the Jewish doctor Abraham Turek and his wife Sarah. In 1928, Moses began his medical studies in the Karlov Medical faculty, Prague. In 1931, Moses was accepted into Wilno University, within a strict quota of Jewish students. In 1935, while at Wilno hospital, Moses met and married Raya, a nurse. In 1936, their daughter Ada was born.
After the German and Russian Non-Aggression Pact, Tykocin became Russian occupied and Moses was placed in charge of the new community hospital. Meanwhile, his brother Isaac was arrested due to involvement with the local chamber of commerce and a Zionist organisation. Eventually, Isaac and his parents were deported to a camp in Siberia.
In June 1941, the Germans broke the Non-Aggression Agreement and once again Tykocin became German occupied. On 26 August 1941, all the Jews were ordered to assemble in the main square on the following Monday. Thinking that the Germans would shoot the men but not harm the women, Moses and his brother Menachem sought refuge at the house of a Polish friend.
Eventually they ended up in Bialystok, joined the Jewish community in the ghetto, and worked at the hospital. Hoping to find his family, Moses visited patients in the country side whenever he could. Mr Lupecki, a friend and former patient, visited Moses in the ghetto and devised a plan to sneak him and his brother out.
On 28 January 1943, they escaped by mingling with workers walking out the main gates. The Lupecki's hid them in their barn. But when Lupecki became head of production (of food and crops), the farm was no longer a safe hiding place. They moved to the Chojnacki farm: the owners in their 70s, the farm very rundown, welcomed their help and the two brothers had a small amount of money to help pay for their keep. The brothers moved many times between the Chojnacki's farm and other Poles who risked their lives to hide them.
On 11 August 1944, the Russians defeated the Germans in Tykocin. When Moses and Menachem learned that a Soviet artillery regiment had been stationed in Tykocin to guarantee the town's protection, they decided to go back home. Their father's house had survived so Moses moved in and began searching for his family. He received a card from Siberia, from his sister-in-law Malka Szymenczyk, advising him that his parents and brother were well. From another source, Moses learnt that his youngest brother Gregory, who had joined the British Army, had been killed. By 25 August 1944, Moses discovered that his wife Raya and daughter Ada, along with most of the Tykocin Jews ordered to assemble in the main square three years earlier, were massacred and buried in death pits in the forest.
In 1945 spring, the Jews of Tykocin decided to move to Bialystok to be part of a stronger community. The Polish pro-Soviet Government appointed Moses to organise medical services in the district hospital. He was awarded two medals, the Silver Cross of Merit and a bronze decoration for Victory and Freedom by the Polish Government.
Moses married Raya's sister Malka (as is custom in Jewish law) and a year later they had their first son, Gregory. For three years they stayed in Bialystok, but, eventually, the old prejudices drove the family to Australia. In 1949, they arrived in Sydney. Moses' Polish medical qualifications were not recognised so he retrained at the University of Sydney, studying for three years. In 1957, he renounced his Polish citizenship and become an Australian.
Production date 1985-12-05
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
Language
- Polish From Jan Smolko 5/12/1985, sent from Mszczonow, Poland
During the occupation my material situation was good. Together with my wife Wladyslawa, we helped to save the lives of Jews. I was an organist in the church and one of the people in the office, who was a friend of mine, was working with the Germans and could give me some protection if the situation was to change. He provided me with about 50 documents. Out of these, I gave many of them to Jews and whole Jewish families.
We hid Jews and supported them material wise, and morally, and for that I received a medal for “Honest Member of the World” (“Sprawiedliwi Werod Narodow Siwata”).
We now have documents in our possession which indicate that we helped a lot of Jewish people.
I was in Tykocin for 15 years and an organist and knew the district and a lot of people which helped me a lot
As I worked as an organist my material things were good but for the last three years I have been living on a very low pension as I had bad insurance. My material situation has been bad. I only wanted to save peoples lives (I did not do it for any money). I risked myself and my family to be tortured and even debt. Up to now I didn’t receive or ask for anything as I was working. Now it is very hard for me. I ask for material help as I know that other people receive it. Thank you for receiving my humble demand.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Suzanne Binetter