Mother Matylda Getter - A Sister Who Saved Lives

Born: February 25, 1870, Warsaw, Poland
Died: August 8, 1968, Warsaw, Poland

During World War II, Matylda Getter risked her life and led the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary in rescuing between 250 and 550 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto.

Matylda Getter was born on February 25, 1870, in Warsaw, Poland. Not much is known about her family or childhood, but records show she studied at a private girls’ school run by the Sisters of the Family of Mary. At that time, Poland was under Russian rule, and many religious groups had to work in secret. This experience would shape the way Matylda lived her life, committed to service even in difficult times.

In 1887, at just 17 years old, Matylda joined the Congregation of the Sisters of the Family of Mary. She began as a teacher and guardian for young girls and later became the leader of a shelter in Moldavanka. Over the years, she worked in Rome and St. Petersburg before returning to Warsaw in 1908 to serve as Mother Superior of the congregation’s main house.

For decades before World War II, Mother Matylda dedicated herself to education and social work. She helped to establish more than twenty schools, orphanages, and care centers for poor children in places like Anin, Białołęka, Chotomów, Międzylesie, Płudy, Sejny, and Wilno. Her work earned her national recognition, but her greatest test came with the start of the war.

When Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Mother Matylda and the Sisters of the Family of Mary expanded their mission. They opened their homes to refugees, the homeless, and those in danger of arrest. Their house on Hoża Street in Warsaw sheltered as many as 300 people a day, even after it was damaged by an air raid. The Sisters arranged shelter, distributed false documents, and even provided work for those in hiding.

But Mother Matylda’s most courageous act was her decision to save Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto. Declaring, “Whoever comes to our yard and asks for help, in the name of Christ, we must not refuse,” she promised to take in every child who reached her. She worked with Irena Sendler and the underground Żegota organization to rescue between 250 and 550 children. The Sisters placed them in orphanages, disguised older girls as handmaids or nuns, and secured false baptismal certificates so they could pass as Christians. “I’m saving a human being who’s asking for help,” Mother Matylda explained, even though she knew the penalty for such actions was death.

Her leadership gave courage to her Sisters, who also risked their lives daily. Together they turned convents and schools into safe havens scattered across Poland. The entire congregation, along with hundreds of other helpers, took part in this life-saving mission. Many of the rescued children survived the war because of her bravery.

During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, Mother Matylda and her Sisters once again showed their strength. At their provincial house on Hoża Street, they ran a soup kitchen that soon became a hospital. They cooked meals for more than a thousand people, cared for the wounded, and even buried the dead. When the uprising was crushed, the Sisters were forced to leave Warsaw, but they continued their work in the nearby town of Brwinów until the war ended.

By 1945, after years of danger and destruction, Mother Matylda could look back knowing she and her Sisters had saved hundreds of lives. Despite constant air raids and violence, only two lives were lost under their care. After the war, she continued her work as Superior and later in retirement.

Mother Matylda was honored many times for her service. Most notably, she was named one of the “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust remembrance authority. In 2019, a plaque was unveiled at 53 Hoża Street in Warsaw to honor her, the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary, and all people who risked their lives to save Jewish children. The plaque’s message, written in Polish, English, and Hebrew, is a lasting reminder of her courage.

Matylda Getter passed away in 1968 at the age of 98. She is remembered not only as a devoted nun and teacher, but also as a hero who risked everything to protect the innocent. Through her faith, bravery, and compassion, she showed the world the true power of selfless love.

References:
“Getter Matylda.” Yad Vashem. The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, collections.yadvashem.org/en/righteous/4043922.
“Poles Rescuing Jews under German Occupation. the Story of Matylda Getter.” Institute of National Remembrance, eng.ipn.gov.pl/en/news/7909,Poles-Rescuing-Jews-under-German-Occupation-The-Story-of-Matylda-Getter.html.
“Polish Righteous - Part 1.” Rescue in the Holocaust, www.holocaustrescue.org/polish-righteous-part-1.

Keywords:
Justice, Wartime, Courage, Perseverance, Responsibility, Selflessness, Make a Difference, Take Risks for Others

Explore ARTEFFECT projects about this Unsung Hero:
Matylda Getter Artworks