An emotional meeting between Holocaust survivors and their Polish rescuer took place over the weekend in Poland. Dr. Sophia Joachim (Zlata) from Haifa and her brother Mark, who came from New Jersey, met with Zofia Trojan (Dziedzic), who was only ten years old at the beginning of World War II, and together with her parents, Wojciech and Bronisława Dziedzic, helped in their rescue.
The special meeting took place at the initiative of the family of Mark Schnatter and in cooperation with the Claims Conference. Mark Schonwetter’s family arrived from New Jersey and included his wife, Luba, and his daughters, Isabella Fiske and Ann Arnold, with their husbands.
"By walking in the March of the Living alongside other survivors means so much to me," Mark Schonwetter said. "It means I survived and I can be here today in honor of all those who were murdered during the Holocaust. Thanks to people like Zofia Trojan, I am able to walk and join other survivors 80 years after the war ended. It is very heartwarming.”
His sister, Dr. Zofia Joachims, added: "As a little girl hiding during the Holocaust, it was very frightening. My mother and my brother Mark gave me love and strength, but thanks to Zofia Trojan and the Dziedzic family, I received my life."
During the war, families were forced to frequently change their hiding places. Sometimes they hid in the attic or barn of the Dziedzic family, and sometimes they had to find shelter in the forest, which was a relatively safe place.
Due to the fear of neighbors' denunciations and frequent searches by the Nazis, every small detail – even the amount of food or laundry – had to be carefully considered. Zofia Trojan recalls: "The worst searches were those with dogs, which could quickly locate people who were hiding, even deep in the forest."
The family's house was located next to the main road, which increased the risk. Sometimes they had to deal with Nazi soldiers who stopped and demanded food. Despite the danger, the family members managed to save several Jews, risking their lives. Thanks to their actions, Wojciech and Bronisława Dziedzic and their daughter Zofia Trojan were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations in 2006.
The connection between the survivors and their rescuer was maintained over the years, but this is the first time they have seen each other since receiving the title about 20 years ago.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Zofia Trojan shared her family's story: "My parents saved Jews; they had very good relations with everyone. My father worked for Jews, transporting goods, so we knew everyone. I had Jewish friends; we went to school together. My parents were good and ordinary people. They loved everyone."
Regarding the risk involved in rescuing Jews during the Holocaust, she recounted: "My father was imprisoned after bringing a group of Jews from Kamienica Dolna to Brzostek, after someone informed on him. But a Mrs. Schonwetter contacted some Jews from Krakow, and someone probably bribed someone – and that's how my father was released."
3 View gallery
Zofia Trojan (center) meeting with Dr. Sophia and Mark Joachim
(Photo: Claims Conference)
The meeting took place against the backdrop of the Claims Conference's new report, "Vanishing witnesses," which emphasizes the urgency of documenting encounters with Holocaust survivors and rescuers.
Claims Conference EVP Greg Schneider stated: “Zofia Trojan’s extraordinary courage did more than save two lives, her selfless actions created the foundation for generations to come for the Joachim and Schonwetter families. If only there had been tens of thousands of people like her, our world would be profoundly different.
"With only approximately 150 Rescuers still with us, reunions like this are increasingly rare—and may never happen again. We don’t know if another pairing exists today with survivors and their Rescuer, though if there are more, we would be honored to help bring them together. We need to do all we can to honor this bravery while these heroes are still with us.”
As a token of gratitude, the family of Mark Schonwetter established a special fund in his name, which will finance educational grants on the Holocaust for schools and educators across the country.