The Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) has published the first episode of the film series “Not only the Ulmas”. With this series, the Institute pays tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, as well as to the Poles who lost their lives to protect the lives of their Jewish fellow citizens during the criminal German occupation of Poland.

The first episode of the series, entitled “Red Beads”, depicts one of the bloodiest German crimes committed against Poles rescuing Jews. It shows the criminality of the German occupier aiming at the elimination of Polish citizens of Jewish origin in the first place. It also shows the heroism of several Polish families who risked their lives to save their Jewish neighbours.

“We also learn about the complexity of the situation during the German occupation of Poland during World War II. The Germans organised a bloody manhunt by forcing a confession under torture from one of the captured Jews. In addition to the German gendarmes, the raid was also attended by Poles who, most often under threat of death, were forced to work in the German-led Polnische Polizei police formation known as the ‘Blue Police”, informs the IPN.

29 January marks the 81st anniversary of the crime, which victimised families from the villages of Wierzbica and Wolica near Miechów: the Gądeks, Kucharskis, Książeks, Nowaks, as well as members of the Jewish Wandersman family and their relatives who were rescued by them.

“Red Beads” is a story based on the research of Dr Martyna Grądzka-Rejak, an employee of the IPN Historical Research Office in Warsaw. Researchers estimate that the Germans murdered about a thousand Poles for helping Jews during World War II. Thanks to the heroic actions of many Polish citizens, tens of thousands of Polish citizens of Jewish origin were saved.

Subsequent episodes of the series “Not only the Ulmas” will be presented until the end of May every Friday on the YouTube channel of IPNtv.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński