The Zookeeper's Wife

When I was about 10 years old at least once a year I visited Warsaw. I stayed in my uncle's home, usually for one week, and every time it was an opportunity to visit Warsaw ZOO.

I did not enjoy these excursions. On the first time of course there was strong curiosity, but there was a disappointment from the first glance. These were not animals, which I remembered from adventure books. Behind bars, lethargic, in prison.

These memories returned few weeks ago while watching movie The Zookeeper's Wife. The movie is based on a book written by Diane Ackerman, which in turn is based on memories of Mrs Antonina Żabińska, wife of pre-Second World War director of Warsaw ZOO, dr Jan Żabiński.
Movie trailer here - CLICK.

The movie tells the story of Warsaw ZOO during the 2nd World War.
First ruined during barbaric bombing of Warsaw by Germans. Then all valuable animals were robbed by dr Lutz Heck, director of Berlin ZOO, personal friend of Goering, member of SS.
After the war he continued his work as Berlin ZOO director.

Director of Warsaw ZOO, dr J. Żabiński put a proposal to convert ruined Warsaw ZOO into a pig farm. The food for the pigs were to be scraps from Warsaw Ghetto. Practical Germans bought the idea. In this way dr Żabiński got access to the Ghetto and under the scraps of food smuggled out Jews, who were later hidden in the ZOO, in tunnels for animals, in the cellar of Żabińskis home. They stayed there until false ids were produced for them and when Polish families were found, who would keep them in hiding to the end of the war.

It might be worthwhile to mention, that Poland was the only country in German occupied Europe where for hiding a Jew a whole family of the host was sentenced to death.
Dr Hans Frank, a governor of German occupied Poland, stated: "In Prague, big red posters were put up on which one could read that seven Czechs had been shot today. I said to myself, 'If I had to put up a poster for every seven Poles shot, the forests of Poland would not be sufficient to manufacture the paper." Source Wikiquote - CLICK.

In this way Żabiński family smuggled 300 people. After the war they were awarded a title Righteous Among the Nations by the State of Israel - CLICK.

The movie concentrates on directors wife - Mrs Antonina Żabińska - which highlights a sharp contrast between the cruel world and charm of animals and gentleness of director's wife.

Great movie. It brought back memories from my childhood. Relations of the people around me, who witnessed the war. Sad relations, but so valuable.