On January 25, 2025, Józefa Handzlik (née Hatłas), a Witness to History, passed away. During the German occupation, she helped prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Józefa Hatłas was born on February 16, 1923, as the eleventh child of Maria Hatłas (née Irzyk) and Paweł Hatłas. Her mother managed a household while her father ran a meat processing plant. She completed seven grades at the Primary School in Brzezinka. Her further education was interrupted by severe anemia which prevented her from living a normal life for several years.
When the war broke out Józefa was 16 years old. The family’s entire property (house, farm and factory) was seized by the Germans, and the family was repeatedly displaced – to Monowice, Dwory and Stare Stawy. The living conditions were very difficult, so Józefa, together with one of her sisters, moved to Oświęcim, Jagiełły Street. In 1941, she started working in the BATA shoe store on the Main Market Square in Oświęcim. Zofia Szewczyk (married name Zużałek) – the sister of Major Piotr Szewczyk, the Silent Unseen from Babice, was also employed there.
During the war, one of Józefa’s co-workers from the BATA store, Irena Bubec, was imprisoned in the Auschwitz concentration camp for illegally providing shoes to a Jewish family. Józefa did not abandon her. She continuously provided her with medicines through civilian workers employed in the camp. Over time, other prisoners were also aided. The BATA store became a distribution point for medicines for prisoners. Irena Bubec survived the camp thanks to Józefa’s help.
Józefa Hatłas also cooperated with the legendary Oświęcim resident: Helena Stupka – a member of the Home Army, who, together with a group of women, was involved in helping prisoners, organizing food, delivering secret messages, helping with escapes, e.g. that of August Kowalczyk.
– Stupka always needed food. She mostly wanted groats, rice and potatoes – Józefa Handzlik recounted describing in detail how this food was delivered in order not to arouse the suspicions of the Germans or informers.
During the German occupation, Józefa met her future husband – Marian. He ran a barbershop on Dworcowa Street in Oświęcim. They got married in 1946 and had three sons – Adam, Andrzej and Tadeusz.
In 1953, Józefa began working at the Zielonka restaurant in Oświęcim as a bartender – a role that she held for eight years. Later, until her retirement, she was employed at the Oświęcim Chemical Plant.
Józefa Handzlik repeatedly shared her memories from the German occupation. Her stories were included in the permanent exhibition at the Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents.
On February 28, 2023, the museum organized a centennial celebration for Józefa Handzlik at its headquarters on M. Kolbego Street 2A in Oświęcim, attended by dozens of invited guests.
Józefa Handzlik died on January 25, 2025. In February, she would have celebrated her 102nd birthday. She was laid to rest at the Municipal Cemetery in Oświęcim.
See the report from the celebration of Józefa Handzlik’s centennial celebration at the Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents.
