Krystyna Danko

Many people might not realize, but Krystyna Danko is a person they should know and remember. She is someone of note because of her courage, and she is also remembered because of her symbolic acts and what she was able to accomplish with the personal strength she had in her life.

A tough life

Krystyna was born in Otwock, Poland in 1917 to Karol Chłond and his wife, but was orphaned at an early age. During the early stages of loneliness and unfortunate abandonment in her life she had to endure many of the hardships that Poland went through in these periods of unrest between WWI and WWII. It was also during this time that she made friends with numerous Jewish children, primarily the oldest Kokoszvo daughter, Maryna, who ended up as her best friend. She would later assist her friend to a great extent during WWII.

An honored individual

After Hitler's invasion of Poland, which many regard as the precursor to WWII, there were many Jewish concentration camps created in Poland. With German occupation complete in the country, most Jews had no hope of escaping. Krystyna Danko, however, decided to go against strict Nazi rule in order to help her fellow countrymen, the Jewish Kokoszvo family, to escape to freedom. She started the heroic rescue of her friend's family by first rescuing her best friend, and then helping Maryna's parents get to a secret location. From there she managed to successfully aid them through the war unscathed. As a result of her efforts she received a medal for honor and bravery in the face of tyranny. She eventually settled down and married fellow activist Mieczysław Dańko.

In her life, Krystyna Danko managed to accomplish what many people in WWII were too scared to do; she helped a family of Jews to escape the wrath and terror or Hitler, all in the name of human rights. She is a testament to the belief that all human beings have rights that are worth fighting and protecting, despite whatever laws and popular sentiment might exist.