Ferdynand Arczyński

MP Ferdynand Arczyński (2nd from right) and deputy PM Antoni Korzycki (3rd right). March 19, 1948

Ferdynand Marek Arczyński (Kraków, December 8, 1900 – 1979, Warsaw), cryptonym "Marek" or "Lukowski", was one of the founding members of an underground organization Żegota (Council for Aid to Jews) in German-occupied Poland, from 1942 to 1945. Żegota's express purpose was to help the country's Jews survive the Holocaust; find places of safety for them, and provide relief payments to thousands of families.^[1] Poland was the only country in occupied Europe with such an organization during World War II.^[2][3]

Life

Born in 1900, Arczyński participated in the Silesian Uprisings (1919–21) during the formation of the sovereign Second Polish Republic. He was a member of the Polish Democratic Party and an editor of the Polish Daily (Dziennik Polski, pl) in Kraków. Following the Nazi-Soviet invasion of Poland, Arczyński worked tirelessly for Żegota, serving not only as treasurer but also as head of its legalization department, liaison with branches of Żegota in Kraków, Lwów and Lublin. He was an unofficial, but successful recruiting officer.

Saving Jews

As Żegota treasurer and head of the Legalization Bureau, Ferdynand Arczyński produced daily hundreds of false IDs, work cards, Roman Catholic birth and marriage certificates which were given out free of charge to some 4,000 Jews hiding on the "Aryan" side of the ghettos.^[3] He arranged for places to live, medical help, and monthly cash disbursements. He helped with providing aid to Jews in concentration camps. Arczyński, "Marek", was also a founding member of Kraków and Lwów branches of Żegota.^[3]

After the war, Marek Ferdynand Arczyński served as Member of Parliament (Sejm) from 1947 until 1952,^[4] in the Department of Communication, and worked as a journalist.^[5]

Part of a series on the
Polish Underground State
History of Poland 1939–1945
Authorities Government Administration Parliament Courts
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Military organizations Home Army (AK) Service for Poland's Victory (SZP) Armed Resistance (ZWZ) Gray Ranks National Security Corps (PKB) Mostly integrated with Armed Resistance and Home Army Gwardia Ludowa WRN Peasant Battalions Partially integrated with Armed Resistance and Home Army National Military Organization National Armed Forces Camp of Fighting Poland Pomeranian Griffin Konfederacja Narodu Non-integrated but recognizing authority of Armed Resistance and Home Army Jewish Combat Organization Jewish Military Union Opposition Military Lizard Union Armia Ludowa
Related topics Cultural activities Education History of Poland during 1939–1945

References

• Anna Poray, Ferdynand Arczynski, Polish Righteous at the Wayback Machine (archived January 10, 2008), 2004.
• Stanislaw Wronski, Maria Zwolakowa,: "Polacy Zydzi, 1939-1945". Warszawa, Książka i Wiedza Publishers, 1971. (illustrated, 462 pages) including copies of many original documents.
• Irene Tomaszewski and Tecia Werbowski, Zegota: The Council for Aid to Jews in Occupied Poland 1942-1945. Price-Patterson Ltd. Montreal, Canada. Reprinted with authors' permission at Project In Posterum, Preserving the Past for the Future.
• Teresa Prekerowa, Konspiracyjna Rada Pomocy Żydom w Warszawie, 1942-1945, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, Warsaw, 1982.

See also

• Righteous Among the Nations
• The Holocaust

External links

• Ferdynand Arczyński – his activity to save Jews' lives during the Holocaust, at Yad Vashem website