Letter to Editor

My Name is Abraham Gordon

Dear Editor:

I was born on January 1, 1934 in Dunilowicze, Poland (Since 1939, Belorussia USSR). My present occupation is maintenance mechanic. I lived in Dunilowicze until six days after the destruction of the ghetto on November 22, 1942. I was about 8 years old at that time.

My family members were:

From 1939 to 1941 Dunilowicze was under Russian control. In the middle of 1941 we were occupied by the Nazis. A few months later, all Jews were confined to a ghetto in Dunilowicze. We remained there until the liquidation of the ghetto in November 1942 at which time the Nazis rounded up all the Jews they could find and killed them.

My family was able to hide in the ruins for six days. Others who tried to hide were found and killed. We were able to escape through fields and orchards and went to the farm "Haravadka" because my father and the owner of the farm had been friends for a long time. His name was Bronislav Ziemczonek. He was about 60-70 years old at this time. He, his wife and their four children lived on the farm mentioned above located about 10 km ( 7 miles) from Dunilowicze.

He was kind enough to take us into his barn, so we could hide in the hayloft. He and his family shared with us their food, water and clothes in spite of not having enough for themselves. The farmer's two sons Stanislav (25 years old) and Flerian (15 years old) helped by father to dig out a cave in a forest several miles away. They continued to take care of us for about eight months.

I am enclosing copies of two letters: the first was sent by me to Flerian at the beginning of June, 1999. The second letter is a response to my letter from Flerian dated June 25, 1999 in which he recalls the details including getting us a cast iron wood burning stove on Christmas Eve to keep us warm in the cave. At the same time the mother and two daughters Bronislava and Veronica supplied us the food and clothes to keep us alive.

In the middle of 1943 Mr. Ziemczonek was able to transport us to the forest where other survivors from the surrounding ghettos lived under the protection of a partisan group. We were hiding in the forest until the summer of 1944 when the Red Army liberated us. They did all this in the full knowledge that they put their whole family in jeopardy. There was absolutely no question of payment expected by these rescuers. Their only concern was for our safety.

Ever since then I have tried to find them but was unsuccessful until the beginning of June 1999 when, by accident, I met someone in my own neighborhood who has a brother living in Belarus. He was able to locate a grandson of Mr. Bronislav Ziemczonek, son of Mr. Flerian Ziemczonek who let us know that his father Flerian and two of his aunts, Bronislava and Veronica, are still alive. Unfortunately, his uncle Stanislav Ziemczonek passed away two years ago in May 1997 in Glogov, Poland.

The Rescuers:

I wish to nominate the following people to the title of "Righteous Among the Nations";

Abraham Gordon
Brooklyn, NY


Return to Letters to the Editor ArchiveBack to Top