Stanislawa Kowalczyk Israelowicz
Poland

Though Stanislawa's home country is listed as Poland, her hometown, Lvov, must have presented special identity problems for her. During her lifetime it went from being the capital of the Austrian province of Galicia, to being part of Poland, then to being seized by Soviet troops, followed by its occupation by German military forces from 1941 to 1944. It is during this latter period that Stanislawa became part of a blessed group of rescuers. This is when she is credited with sheltering many Jewish families.

Among those she rescued were Eugenie Juran-Urich and her son, Roman. They had escaped from the Warsaw ghetto and, somehow, were able to travel all the way to Lvov. This city, possibly because of its unusual history of shifting loyalties, was a magnet for fleeing Jews. Eugenie and Roman, along with other refugees, were hidden in an attic space in the home of Stanislawa.

In another twist of events, Dr. Leon Izraelowicz, became one of those sheltered by Stanislawa. He had been practicing medicine in Lvov, but had been sent to a ghetto. He managed to escape and was ultimately given refuge by Stanislawa. As is obvious from her full name listed above, rescuer and rescued became bonded in marriage.