On Saturday, October 17, 2026, scouts from the 1st Senior Scout Discovery Troop “Il Mondo,” part of the Edmund Wilkosz Scout Troop in Oświęcim, unveiled the Memorial Garden of Unsung Heroines and Heroes at the Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim. Before the ceremony, they had planted tulip bulbs throughout the garden.
The plaque at the memorial site bears the following words:
“By helping one person, you may not change the whole world, but you can change the whole world for that one person.”
Author unknown
In memory of the women and men of Oświęcim and the surrounding area who risked their own lives to help prisoners of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau during the German occupation. Their courage, humanity and selfless acts of kindness remain an example for us all.
The spring flowers blooming in this garden symbolize our living memory, gratitude and respect for those who, in times of contempt for human life, managed to preserve their humanity.
We remember. We thank you.
The unveiling ceremony was preceded by a workshop dedicated to people who made exceptional contributions to helping prisoners of KL Auschwitz. During the workshop, the scouts learned about their work and created tote bags featuring portraits of these courageous residents of the Oświęcim region. Among those commemorated were Maria Bobrzecka, Helena Stupka, Janina Kajtoch, Helena Płotnicka, Władysława Rzepecka, Jan Wawrzyczek and Wojciech Jekiełek.
