Oleksandra Shulezhko - A Mother to Many

Oleksandra Shulezhko was a Ukrainian teacher who risked her life to shelter and protect children during the Holocaust.

During the dark years of World War II, when cruelty and fear ruled much of Europe, some people chose courage over silence. One of these brave individuals was Oleksandra Shulezhko, a Ukrainian woman who risked her life to save children, many of them Jewish, during the Holocaust. Her story is one of sacrifice, strength, and compassion in the face of unthinkable danger.

Oleksandra Maksymivna Shulezhko was born on May 15, 1903, in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine. She grew up in a hardworking family, one of seven children who were all given an education. At the age of 18, she married Fedor Shulezhko, a lawyer who later became a priest. Their family life was marked by both joy and sorrow. They had several children, but one of their sons died young. Then, during the “Great Terror,” Fedor was arrested by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD, and killed. This left Oleksandra a widow, raising her daughters on her own.

By the time World War II reached Ukraine in 1941, Oleksandra was living in the city of Cherkasy and working as a kindergarten teacher. Her son Vadim had gone to fight in the war, while she remained at home with her two young daughters. That summer, the German army invaded Cherkasy. The Nazis closed her kindergarten, leaving many children on the streets. Oleksandra soon noticed more and more orphans, hungry, abandoned, and often traumatized by violence. One day, she even found a baby lying next to the body of its murdered mother. Moved by compassion, she decided to act.

Oleksandra petitioned the German authorities for permission to open a shelter for homeless children in the former kindergarten building. Against the odds, she received approval, though she was given no supplies or assistance. At first, she took in just a few children, but soon the number grew to around 100. They needed food, clothes, and warmth for the cold winters. Oleksandra gathered helpers and worked tirelessly to provide for the children as if they were her own.

Among these children were 25 Jews. For them, the danger was far greater than hunger or cold. Under Nazi laws, being Jewish meant a death sentence, and anyone who tried to protect them could also be killed along with their entire family. Oleksandra understood this, but she did not turn them away. Instead, she registered the children under false names, giving them Ukrainian, Greek, or Tatar identities depending on their appearance. When inspectors came, she hid them in an isolation room and used her knowledge of German to persuade the authorities that all the children were safe to stay.

For over two years, Oleksandra kept her secret, protecting the Jewish children in her care. She risked not only her own life but also the lives of her two daughters, who lived with her in the shelter. Her courage and determination ensured that not one of the Jewish children was betrayed or exposed.

In late 1943, as the Soviet army advanced, the Nazis decided to evacuate the orphanage to Germany. Oleksandra managed to scatter some of the children to nearby villages and led others to safety in the Vinnytsia region. By 1944, she had returned to Cherkasy with the surviving children. Tragically, when the war ended, Soviet officials accused her of cooperating with the Germans. They removed the children from her care and placed them in state orphanages. For years, Oleksandra lived under suspicion and hardship. She never complained, but the loss of the children she had protected weighed heavily on her.

Despite these struggles, Oleksandra’s bravery was not forgotten. In 1996, more than fifty years after the war, Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Remembrance Center in Israel, honored her with the title of “Righteous Among the Nations.” This is one of humanity’s highest awards, given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. On the medal is written a phrase from the Talmud: “Whoever saves one life saves the entire world.”

Today, Oleksandra Shulezhko is remembered as a woman of great courage and love. A memorial plaque in Cherkasy honors her, reminding all who pass by that even in the darkest times, there are people who choose kindness and humanity. Her story shows us that one person’s bravery can protect many lives and that true heroism often comes from the heart of an ordinary person who chooses to act.

References:
“14 Травня - День Пам’яті Українців, Які Рятували Євреїв у Роки Другої Світової Війни.” Мар’їнська Міська Військова Адміністрація Покровського Району Донецької Області, maryinska-gromada.gov.ua/news/1652536011/.
“Humanity Against Fear: Stories of Ukrainians Who Saved Jews During Holocaust.” RBC, newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/humanity-against-fear-stories-of-ukrainians-1747312657.html.
Lozhkin, Boris. “Recognizing the Righteous in Ukraine.” Medium, Medium, 24 Aug. 2019, borislozhkin.medium.com/recognizing-the-righteous-in-ukraine-9a3925404070.
Yakovleva, Margarita Ormotsadze. “The Ukrainians Who Saved Jewish People Against All Odds During the Holocaust.” UNITED24 Media, united24media.com/life-in-ukraine/the-ukrainians-who-saved-jewish-people-against-all-odds-during-the-holocaust-327.
“Державна Архівна Служба України.” Державна Архівна Служба України | Офіційний Вебпортал Органу Виконавчої Влади, archives.gov.ua/ua/.

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