Jadwiga Dudziec

Jadwiga Dudziec, a teacher from a small village in the Vilna region, was active in the Polish Scout Movement. In 1934 Dudziec moved to Vilna where she established contact with the Zionist Movement of the Jewish Scouts. During the German Occupation Dudziec insisted on employing Jews in the timber factory that she managed. Her apartment was above the workshop and it served as a meeting point for members of the Jewish underground. Due to her connections with the Polish underground, Dudziec found hiding places, obtained "Aryan" identity papers and work certificates for many Jews, she even smuggled weapons into the ghetto on behalf of the FPO (Fareynegte Partizaner Organizatsye - United Partisan Organisation) and planned the uprising together with them. She maintained her connection with the partisans after they had left the ghetto and enabled them to use her house as a meeting place. Dudziec was a devout Catholic and her actions stemmed from her deep religious faith.

Before the liberation of Vilna in July 1944 Dudziec was injured by shrapnel. Her leg was amputated; she didn't recover from the operation and died in the hospital.

On the 17th of July 1999 Yad Vashem recognised Jadwiga Dudziec as Righteous Among the Nations.