80 years ago, on 27 September 1942, the Provisional Committee to Aid Jews was created in the German-occupied Polish territories. This organisation was launched on the initiative of the writer Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, in agreement with representatives of the Polish government in exile acting in conspiracy.

In the occupied Polish territories, the Germans pursued a consistent policy aimed at the extermination of the Jewish population. Initially, this consisted of looting property, forcing the Jews into forced labour or resettling them in ghettos. In October 1941 Hans Frank, the Governor General, issued a decree forbidding Jews to leave the ghetto on pain of the death penalty. The same punishment was imposed on the Poles providing any form of assistance to Jews. The Germans applied it en masse even to family members, including children. In 1942, the Germans began a massive operation to murder all European Jews under Operation Reinhardt (Einsatz Reinhardt) by directing successive transports of the Jewish population to the extermination camps at Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka and others. Earlier, i.e. in 1942, the extermination of Jews took place in the German-occupied Polish Eastern Borderlands. Mass murders were carried out there by the Eisatzgruppen.

Despite the threat of punishment, many Poles decided to help the Jews. It took various forms – from donating food, medicines, to organising false documents or providing shelter. Initially, the aid activities were solely of an individual nature by providing support to neighbours or acquaintances, but soon they would also take an organised form.

On 27 September 1942, the Provisional Committee to Aid Jews, also known as the Konrad Żegota Committee, was established in German-occupied Warsaw. Its work was headed by Zofia Kossak-Szczucka and Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, both previously involved in helping Jews. Kossak-Szczucka was the author of the proclamation addressed to Polish society “Protest!” which was distributed on 11 August 1942 in Warsaw. The leaflet strongly articulated the position of Polish Catholics towards the Holocaust.

As part of its activities, the Committee tried to gather the financial and material resources necessary, which were passed on to the Jewish side. False documents were provided and assistance was given to Jews in shelters outside the ghetto.

The Provisional Committee for Aid to the Jews operated until 4 December 1942, when the “Żegota” Council for Aid to the Jews was established. Both Zofia Kossak-Szczucka and Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz were awarded the medal “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem for their activities.