Zofia Wróblewska photograph collection

Zofia Wróblewska was born as Lucyna Rozental on 5 August 1920 in Warsaw, Poland. Lucyna (called Lunia by her family) was the middle daughter of Gabriel Rozental and Helena Polirsztok Rozental. Gabriel Rozental, who graduated Veterinary School, worked as a bookkeeper and Helena took care of their three daughters: Sabina, who was born in 1916; Lunia; and Krysia, who was born in 1924. They lived on 3 Twarda Street in Warsaw. Sabina Rozental worked as a model for a French fashion company in Warsaw. In 1938 she married Ludwik Lutek Wójcikiewicz, who worked together with his father in the family owned print shop on Pawia Street. Their son, Marian Wójcikiewicz, was born on July 19, 1939. Lunia Rozental attended Warsaw University where she studied psychology and pedagogy. Lunia met her future husband, Michał (Misza) Wasserman at the house of mutual friend. Misza Wasserman was born on 29 October, 1911 in Pińsk. His father was a high school teacher and his mother was a physician. In 1931 Misza moved to Warsaw and started to attend the “Wawelberg” technical school. At the same time he served as a teacher and a caretaker at the Janusz Korczak orphanage. Under Korczak’s influence Misza switched his studies to psychology and pedagogy. In September 1939 the building on Twarda Street was bombed and the Rozental family moved in with their relatives, the Kleinbaum family, on 26A Ogrodowa Street. This location was included within the parameters of the Warsaw ghetto, which was sealed on 15 November, 1940. Lunia and Misza married on 19 May, 1941. On 28 February, 1941 Sabina Rozental Wójcikiewicz committed suicide by jumping from a window. From that time on, her son Marian was taken care of by Lunia. During the massive deportations from the Warsaw ghetto in the summer of 1942 both of Lunia’s parents were taken to Treblinka and killed on arrival. Helena was 43 years old and Gabriel was 48 years old. On 5 August, 1942, Korczak arranged for Misza to work in a construction work group outside the walls of the ghetto; upon his return, Janusz Korczak and “his” children had been deported to Treblinka. Soon after, Misza obtained false identification papers for himself, under the name Michal Wójcicki, for Lunia for the name of Zofia Dąbrowa, and for her sister Krysia. Misza left the ghetto with the help of Stanisław Szymkowski, a Polish policeman, who then also assisted the escape of Krysia, Lunia and their nephew, Marian Wójcikiewicz to the Aryan side. Marian’s father, Lutek Wójcikiewicz stayed in the ghetto, and subsequently perished. For a few weeks Lunia and Krysia together with Marian stayed in Wołomin near Warsaw and later moved to Kopyczyńce near Tarnopol, in eastern Poland. Krysia worked as a nurse and Lunia as a teacher. Both sisters were blond and blue eyed. Misza in the meantime went to Lwów, where he worked for a Polish-German construction company, building train routes. In 1943 he crossed the front line and joined the Soviet Army. He transferred later to the 2nd Polish Army and fought all the way to Berlin. Lunia and Krysia were liberated in March 1944 and together with Marian moved to Łowicz, where they were reunited with Misza on May 28, 1945. Lunia kept her assumed name of Zofia, and she and Misza changed their last name to Wróblewski. They officially adopted Marian. Their son Gabriel was born on 28 February, 1946 and Romuald (Romek) was born on 20 September, 1949. The family settled in Warsaw. Misza completed his master’s degree in pedagogy. In 1967 the Wróblewski family decided to leave Poland, which they did gradually. Romek left Poland in the fall of 1967 and settled in Stockholm, Sweden; Gabriel and Marian followed and finally Lunia and Misza joined them in November 1969. Misza worked as a researcher for the Institute of Pedagogy and Lunia became an associate professor in the same institute, instructing teachers. Marian and Gabriel established a successful construction company and Romek is a senior researcher at the Uppsala University Medical School. Marian has three children, Gabriel has four children and Romek has two children. Misza died in 1995. Lunia currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden and recently was awarded a medal by the Polish Government. [Biography compiled by Teresa Pollin, from information supplied by donor].

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The collection was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2000 by Zofia Wróblewska.