Lublin is Rushing with Aid

Screening of the "Mateczki" Movie.

Antonia Gryga, Saturnina Malm and Elżbieta Lauber-Krzyżewska – these three women from Lublin risked their lives and the lives of their families to help the prisoners of Majdanek. They passed food parcels, secret messages and words of encouragement to the inmates, saving dozens of prisoners from death. They also earned their sympathy and gratitude, gaining the nickname ‘Mateczki’ (Mothers). We screened a film of this exact title at our Visitor Service Centre on 8 February.

A Document about Selflessness, Humanity and Courage

The film Mateczki presents profiles of these women, but also shows the realities in which they operated. It also tells the story of other heroes who selflessly helped Poles in the camp, including Dr Teodor Lipecki, who organised a group of doctors and pharmacists from Lublin who worked tirelessly on behalf of the prisoners. The screenwriter and director of the film is Małgorzata Orłowska, a television journalist with many years of experience, associated with the Polits State Television TVP Lublin. In the past, she was a presenter, reporter, and editor of news and current affairs programmes. She is the co-author and author of many award-winning documentaries produced for TVP History.

The screening was followed by a discussion with the film's author and Anna Wójcik, head of the museum's archives and initiator of the collaboration between the Majdanek Museum and TVP Lublin, which resulted in the presentation of this documentary. The meeting was moderated by Beata Siwek-Ciupak.

Three women talking, one holding a microphone