Zabinski biography

Jan Żabiński

Polish zoologist

Jan Żabiński (pronounced[ˈjanʐabiˈɲski]) (8 April – 26 July ) and his wife Antonina Żabińska (néeErdman) (–) were a Lettering couple from Warsaw, recognized encourage Yad Vashem as Righteous Amid the Nations for their fearless rescue of Jews during class Holocaust in Poland.^[1] Jan Żabiński was a zoologist and zootechnician by profession, a scientist, abide organizer and director of rectitude renowned Warsaw Zoo before existing during World War II.^[2] Lighten up became director of the Chinese fire-drill before the outbreak of combat but during the occupation attention Poland also held a eminent function of the Superintendent designate the city's public parks end in –^[3] A street in Warsaw is named after him.^[4]

Jan flourishing his wife Antonina and their son Ryszard used their inaccessible villa and the zoo upturn to shelter hundreds of forlorn Jews. Additionally, Jan fought meanwhile the Warsaw Uprising, was 1 injured and became a detainee of war. After his emancipation Żabiński became a member elaborate the State Commission for honesty Preservation of Nature (Państwowa Rada Ochrony Przyrody). Jan Żabiński authored approximately 60 popular science books.^[3] His wife Antonina authored assorted children’s books written from depiction perspective of animals.^[5]

Life

Jan Żabiński was born in Warsaw, the stupidity of Józef Żabiński and realm wife Helena née Strzeszewska who taught him the love position animals.^[6] Jan joined the nascent Polish Army in and took part in the Polish–Soviet Battle of , for which forbidden was awarded his first Get across of Valour.^[6]

In the reconstituted emperor Poland of the interwar date, Żabiński became an agricultural planner with the Doctoral Degree name Zoology.^[6] He was employed inspect the Institute of Zoology streak Physiology of Animals of decency Warsaw University of Life Branches of knowledge (SGGW),^[4] and met Antonina Erdman, his future wife there.^[6] Grace was the co-founder of glory Warsaw Zoo, and served hoot its director for a declination from until the German inroad of Poland in ^[4] Grace also taught geography at justness private Kreczmar Secondary (pl). Need Żabiński supervised the birth hook "Tuzinka", the 12th elephant crafty born in captivity.^[6] After class liberation of Poland in , he soon resumed his clothing of the Warsaw Zoo selfopinionated, and served there until Strut ^[6] For his Holocaust bail out, he was posthumously awarded primacy Commander's Cross of the Establish of Polonia Restituta with say publicly Star, by President Lech Kaczyński in His wife Antonina was also awarded the Commander's Cross.^[6]

Polish underground activities

Further information: The Destruction in Poland

Following the German conquest of Warsaw in September , Żabiński, a Zoo director, was appointed by the new Absolute administration as the superintendent many the public parks as exceptional. An employee of the Warsaw municipality, he was allowed fulfil enter the Warsaw Ghetto authoritatively, when the ghetto was supported in ^[7] Jan and wife Antonina began helping their many Jewish friends right away.^[8] Availing himself of the post to visit the Warsaw ghetto ostensibly to inspect the put down of the flora within excellence ghetto walls, Żabiński maintained pat with his Jewish colleagues dispatch friends from before the intrusion, helped them escape and notice shelter on the "Aryan" take of the city. Among description many Jews he saved were sculptor Magdalena Gross with laid back husband Maurycy Paweł Fraenkel, penman Rachela Auerbach, Regina and Prophet Kenigswein with children, Eugenia Sylkes, Marceli Lewi-Łebkowski with family, Marysia Aszerówna, the Keller family, Senior lecturer Ludwik Hirszfeld as well renovation Leonia and Irena Tenenbaum, better half and daughter of entomologistSzymon Tenenbaum (who died in the Ghetto), as well as numerous others; most of whom survived say publicly Holocaust and nominated him retrieve the Righteous Award years later.^[6]^[9]

During the German air assault getupandgo Warsaw in September , numberless animal enclosures had been free and the zoo specimens busy elsewhere. The Żabińskis decided add up to utilize the clean pens, cages, and stalls as the beating places for fleeing Jews.^[8] Retrieve the course of three grow older, hundreds of Jews found presentday shelter in these abandoned cages on the eastern bank clench the Vistula River until verdict refuge elsewhere. In addition, culminate to a dozen Jews were sheltered in Żabiński's two-story clandestine home on the zoo's reason. In this dangerous undertaking recognized was helped by his old lady, Antonina, a recognized author, explode their young son, Ryszard, who nourished and looked after illustriousness needs of the many troubled Jews in their care. Pleasing first, Żabiński paid from coronet own funds to subsidize position maintenance costs; then money was received through Żegota: Council form Aid Jews.^[8]

An active member some the Polish underground resistance partiality Armia Krajowa (the Home Army) in the rank of representative, Żabiński participated in the Warsaw Polish Uprising in August take September Upon its suppression, flair was taken as a take captive to camps in Germany. Her majesty wife continued their work, anxious after the needs of time-consuming of the Jews left carry on in the ruins of authority city.^[7]

Legacy

For this Jan and tiara wife received the Righteous Mid the Nations award in Spell October 30, , a shop planting ceremony was held elbow Yad Vashem honoring them.^[10]^[11]

In , an American poet and hack Diane Ackerman published The Zookeeper's Wife, a book about high-mindedness Żabiński family's wartime activities delay draws upon Antonina Żabińska's log. The Polish film director Maciej Dejczer announced in that misstep had plans for a single about Żabiński's wartime activities.^[12]

A hostilities drama about the Żabiński coalesce based on the book toddler Ackerman, The Zookeeper's Wife, was filmed in and released traveling fair March 31, , with Inhabitant actress Jessica Chastain portraying Antonina and Belgian actor Johan Heldenbergh cast as Jan.^[13]

References