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Najder and Resz family history

Marceli Najder was born in 1914 in Bolekhiv. Marceli's father, Wilhelm Najder, graduated from pharmacy at the University of Vienna (Bolechów and Kołomyja were then in Galicia). After the end of World War I, during which he served in the sanitary corps of the Austrian army, Wilhelm became the owner of a pharmacy in Kołomyja, where he lived with his wife, Tauba (née Adler) and two sons. Both Marceli and his younger brother Natan (Nunek) followed in their father's footsteps and completed pharmaceutical studies at the University of Lviv. Both brothers were also involved in the activities of the Zionist youth organization Ha-Noar ha-Cijoni (https://sztetl.org.pl/pl/slownik/ha-noar-ha-cijoni), which involved participation in numerous camps and expeditions . After obtaining his master's degree, Marceli Najder continued his education at the Warsaw Cadet School. In September 1939, after completing a one-year course, he was sent to the front. Until September 17, the older of the Najder brothers fought in the defense of Lviv, after which he was taken into Soviet captivity. Even before the Catholic Christmas of 1939, Marceli returned to Kołomyja to continue his work in his father's pharmacy and to start a family.

Pola Najder nee Resz was born in 1917 in Kołomyja. Her father, Bernard Resz, was a famous lawyer. Pola's mother, Róża, looked after a wealthy and modern household. In the house, despite the lack of running water, which was supplied to the Reszom by the water cart, there was a radio and a piano. Pola willingly took part in school performances, as evidenced by numerous photographs from that period. Pola's parents died before the start of World War II, leaving the girl in the care of her sister Bela, who was several years older. On December 24, 1939, on Christian Christmas Eve, Pola Resz was married to Marceli Najder. Soon after, the Soviet authorities took the pharmacy away from the family. Hungarian (2 July 1941) and then German (October 1941) occupation came.

In September 1939, Marceli Najder fought in defense of Lviv. At the end of the month, however, he returned to Kołomyja. On December 24, the wedding of Marceli Najder with Pola Resz took place. Soon after, the Soviet authorities took the pharmacy away from the family. Later came the Hungarian occupation (July 2, 1941), and then the German occupation (October 1941). Until March 1942, Marceli was still working in pharmacies in Kołomyja and Peczeniżyn. After the creation of the ghetto in Kołomyja and the relocation of the Najder family to it, Marceli joined the Sanitary Pluto of the Jewish Order Service (Jüdischer Ordnungsdienst; abbreviated as OD). When the liquidation of the ghetto began (in November 1942), Marceli and Pola began to hide from being shot or transported to a concentration camp by the Germans.

After the end of World War II, Kołomyja was incorporated into the USSR, and the Najder family was relocated to the areas within the new borders of Poland (https://sztetl.org.pl/pl/slownik/repatriacja-polakow-z-zsrr). The first place of residence of Marceli and Pola was Izbica, where the spouses found employment in a local pharmacy. Later they moved to Bolesławiec. A Jew - Marceli Najder took the position of the manager of a former German pharmacy, whose former employees (Germans) became his subordinates. The POLIN Museum collection includes numerous photos of Marceli and Pola working in a pharmacy from that period.

The next place of residence for the Najder family was Zielona Góra, where Marceli worked as the head of the Sanepid, and shortly thereafter became the plenipotentiary of the Minister of Health for the nationalization of pharmacies. At that time, he was also involved in the activities of the Democratic Party, and after some time he became a member of the parliament of the Polish People's Republic. The family moved to Warsaw. Some time after the move of Pola and Marceli Njaders, they divorced.

Marta Frączkiewicz

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