Antonina Żabińska facts for kids
Antonina Maria Żabińska (born July 18, 1908, died March 19, 1971) was a brave Polish writer. She was married to Jan Żabiński, who was the director of the Warsaw Zoo. Together, they did amazing things, especially during World War II.
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A Life of Courage and Animals
Antonina Żabińska loved animals and writing. Her first short story, "Memoirs of a Giraffe," was published in 1934. She also wrote "How Female Lynxes from the Białowieża Forest Became Warsaw Residents" in 1936. This story was part of a series called "Nature Tales."
Her first book, Jolly and Company, came out in 1939. After the war, it was re-released with a new title: "From the History of the Warsaw Zoo."
Helping Others During World War II
During World War II, Poland was occupied. Antonina and her husband Jan showed incredible bravery. They used the empty animal enclosures and their own home at the Warsaw Zoo to hide many Jewish people. These people were escaping from the Warsaw Ghetto, a place where Jewish people were forced to live.
For their heroic actions, Antonina and Jan received a special award in 1965. It was called the Righteous Among the Nations. This award honors non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. On October 30, 1968, a tree was planted in their honor at Yad Vashem in Israel, which is a memorial to victims of the Holocaust.
After the War and Her Books
After the war, Antonina Żabińska continued to write. She published children's books like "Lynxes" (1948) and "Badger" (1964).
In 1968, she released a very important diary called People and Animals. This book shared her memories of what happened during the war. Her last book, Our House in the Zoo, came out in 1970. It was all about life at the Warsaw Zoo.
Antonina Żabińska was buried in the historic Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.
Her Story on Screen
In 2007, a writer named Diane Ackerman wrote a book called The Zookeeper's Wife. This book was based on Antonina's diary, People and Animals. Later, in 2017, a movie was made based on Ackerman's book. The famous actress Jessica Chastain played Antonina Żabińska in the film.
In 2008, Antonina Żabińska was given another special honor after her death. She received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, which is a high Polish award.
