Stefania Podgórska What makes a hero? How would they be defined? Many believe a hero is someone who selflessly helps someone, even though they put themselves in danger. This is exactly what Stefania Podgórska did and why she is a real life hero. This is her story from childhood, to her hiding, to the impact she left behind. Stefania was born in a village near Przemysl, Poland. She grew up in a Catholic family. Her father worked the farmland she lived on, while her mother was a midwife and caretaker of the family. There were 8 kids, including her, that lived on the farm. In 1938 her father passed away, and a year later with permission from her mother she moved to Przemysl to be with her older sisters. In the city she was able to get her first job…show more content… She liked one of the sons, Izio (who was Stefi). When the Germans and Soviets occupied Poland in 1939, Stefania moved into the Diamants apartment. During this time the store stayed open and she would go to the market to get things to sell (Holocaust Memorial Museum). The Germans took full control of the city in 1941. With the Germans having full control, they started forcing Jewish families into the ghetto. Families were being torn apart everywhere “Stefania’s mother was sent to Germany for forced labor; Stefania was 16 and left to care for her 8 year-old sister,” (Holocaust Memorial Museum). Soon Germans started shipping people off from the Ghetto (Holocaust Memorial Museum). Mr. Diamant and his wife were taken to the Belzec death camp. Izio was taken to Janowaska. Chiam and Max, two other sons, were sent on a train to the same Belzec as their parents. Max was able to escape the train car. While escaping the train car, he was greatly injured. Even though he was injured, he made it back to his apartment where Stefania and Helena were. After treating him, Stefania vowed to help him rescue his brother and brother's
