– She was a normal, loving parent and we naturally accepted her love besides for another children and for adults – I remember my sons. In Stanisław's home, she created a safe haven for her loved ones. As a midwife, she surrounded the mothers with warmth and patience, and in the drama of the Auschwitz extermination camp she saved lives and gave hope. She took over 3,000 children and powerfully opposed killing them. She died on March 11, 1974 after a long illness.
She spoke very seldom about the experiences of the German concentration camp in Oświęcim, in which she and her daughter Sylvia stayed from April 1943 until the end of January 1945. The experience of inhumane treatment, cruelty, and killing was an highly painful and hard memory. The courageous attitude of Stanisława Leszczyńska, about her opposition to death, and about the hope which she brought to her fellow prisoners was mainly told by witnesses of those events. Stanislaw himself referred primarily to the memories of the camp in the "Report of the midwife from Oświęcim". – (...) I thank God all day that I could be in Auschwitz – she replied to 1 of the journalists who expressed sympathy for the suffering she had been suffering.
In the camp, she was an angel who brought invaluable aid and hope, for she helped more than 3 1000 children to be born. Her presence, skills, and same - sacrificing care for her mothers made it possible for women in camp conditions to have her support. – Among these terrible memories is 1 thought in my consciousness. ... In the concentration camp, all these children – contrary to all predictions and against utmost unfavourable conditions – were born alive and well-looking – she wrote. At that time no of the women giving birth died, which caused surprise, but besides anger of German camp doctors.
Stanislawa's attitude and opposition to the killing of newborn children are besides impressive. – No, never. You can't kill children! – she replied knowing that she was threatened with death for refusing to kill children. The newborns who were born in the camp were taken from their mothers and drowned in water. Only as of May 1943 did any of them have a chance to survive. Blue-eyed, light-haired children were passed on to maturity, but judaic children were inactive drowned after birth.
These dramatic camp events made it possible to know not only the “obstetrician” of Auschwitz, but besides the origin of this extraordinary attitude of humanity in the midst of the immensity of human suffering, hunger and cruel killing.
Family Home
The personality and character of Stanisława Leszczyńska was primarily shaped by the household home and then hard reality. She was born on May 8, 1896 in Łódź, where the industry, mainly textile, flourished, attracting people seeking a better life to the city. She was 1 of the 8 children of Henryka and Stanisław Zambrzycki, 5 of whom died even in early childhood. Her family's surviving conditions were rather difficult, her father worked casually as a carpenter. Later, erstwhile Stanislaus was a child, he was summoned to service in the Tsar army and spent 5 years in Turkestan. During this time, his wife took over the burden of maintaining the family, who took up hard work at the Poznań factory. During her 14-hour absence, Stanislawa took care of her siblings. The father was a very cheerful, open and interesting man of the world; the mother, industrious and assured in God's Providence, took up the regular hardships of life. Zambrzyckis were a profoundly believing family, both belonging to the 3rd Order of St. Francis. They paid large attention to raising children, to their education, and enrolled them in schools but private due to the fact that they were the only ones who provided their parent tongue. A valuable experience for the household was staying in Brazil. Like many Polish families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Zambrzycki besides emigrated to South America. From 1908 to 1910, Stanisława attended a school where the lecture language was Portuguese and German. Later, the household returned to Łódź and moved to the suburbs of the city, the Baluts. The household could have started a tiny colonial store. Housing and sanitary conditions in the Baluts were hard here, there were no sewers, which, in view of the large number of inhabitants, workers caused frequent diseases, among others, in abdominal typhoids. The values of Franciscan terriers, the sensitivity to the destiny of the second man, which parents instilled in children, resulted in the social activity of Stanisława. erstwhile the First planet War began, as Stanisław's young girl, she was already active in the activities of the mediocre Aid Bringing Committee, where she operated for 2 years. She married Bronisław Leszczyński, a highly valued and hardworking Zcer. They had a deep bond, love and music. In the memories of their first boy Bronisław there was a memory of Leszczyński's engagement.
Her children, including his boy Bronisław and Henry, left many memories of married and household life. As the eldest boy of Leszczyński, Bronisław, mentioned, the love of parents was full of charm and romance. – At the time of her betrothal, already early in the morning her windows were covered with flowers; and to her parents she erstwhile said [father] that erstwhile they argue his matrimony to their daughter, she would come to die on their doorstep The boy mentioned it. The household was growing. In 1917 Bronisław was born, in 1919 Sylwia, in 1922 Stanisław, a year later Henry. Despite her household responsibilities, in 1920 Stanislaw began her education at the State School of Obstetrics in Warsaw. The time of the separation was long, but after graduating from school, she returned to Łódź in 1922 and started working.
Home – a safe haven
The Lestins had their own house, occupied a two-room flat on the floor, and the pater rented to a Jew, a shoemaker. The parents of Stanisława lived close the house, with whom the household maintained close and warm relations. In moving the house, Stanislawa was helped by her housekeeper, although a young parent and midwife, despite her professional duties, performed many of them and created a unique atmosphere of the house.
– Our home is remembered as a happy haven, from which I came out into adult life and to which I returned, even in my thoughts, in hard periods of later years Stanislaw wrote. Everyday, they made meals, fun, instruments and singing. – The citter's mom was always on the table. I'd alternatively talk about my parent than talk about my music. We utilized to sing 2 votes with her. Henry mentioned it.
The Leszczyński household had a strong bond built on the foundation of love, common respect and prayer, an evangelical sensitivity to the hard situation and needs of another man. – Our worldview shaped our cradle. While wearing a clean shirt, she grabbed our hands and drew the sign of the cross with it... She was a normal, loving parent and we naturally accepted her love besides for another children and for adults – Stanislaus' sons remembered. The children watched their mother's attitude toward another man. At the time Łódź was a city inhabited not only by Poles, but besides by the German community, and judaic diaspora. – She was frequently approached by women to deal with fashion issues. besides judaic women, Rytka, Ana, very elegant ladies. Mom had something from a rabbi. This 1 came to advise her, too. Henry's boy confessed. – When he saw her after the war, he cried – added Stanisław.
At the same time, Stanisława worked as a midwife. She was highly devoted to her patients. She brought aid to the baby regardless of the time of day or night. Very empathetic and patient, she made women feel safe with her. – She took care of me at a long-standing birth, which dragged from day to night to day. She was calm, patient, calm... my braids, she softened so gently, tenderly – 1 of the women described. Her goodness, her care, her devotion, but besides her deep faith, as she prayed for her mother, her child, and her happy birth were rich in her kindness, the sympathy of all inhabitants not only Balut, regardless of religion and social standing. Even the Baltic criminals had an estimate.
World War II separated the household for a time. Bronisław and his sons fought in the defensive war, and organized food and false papers for Jews. In February 1943, the Gestapo arrested Stanisława, Sylwia and 2 younger sons of Leszczyński. They were imprisoned in various concentration camps. A husband and eldest boy were able to escape the arrest, but the Gestapo were inactive searching for them. Stanisława's husband died in the Warsaw Uprising. The household met again after the war. Stanisława Leszczyńska after returning to Łódź continued her work as a midwife, she was active for nearly 40 years of her life.
She died on March 11, 1974 after cancer. The beatification process of the Servant of God Stanisława Leszczyńska ended in 2024.
Editorial Centre of Life and Family
