I met Bogdan Lisze thanks to Eva Floersheim when I travelled to Lubaczow with my father in 2014 to see the place where my grandparents had been born and from which they emigrated to Argentina during the interwar period, leaving behind most of the family, unaware of the horror that awaited them.
Bogdan impressed me in a resounding way. I didn´t know that there could be people like him. His uniqueness was driven by respect and passion, It was a passion for knowledge moved by a deep conviction: getting to know can be a way of doing justice. Tzedek, tzedek tirdof. Bogdan´s ethics was deeply alike to the spirit of our people.
During our stay in Lubaczow we visited the city, the museum, we had lunch at the lake and on the second day he opened for us the doors of his house and the boxes of the documents he treasured. We were allowed to see the signature of my great-grandfather Meyer Walzer. It sounds small but for us it was huge . My father and I hug each other with joy.
At the time Bogdan was studying Hebrew with some cassettes while driving his car. He always smiled to us and also comforted me when I couldn't hold back my tears in the Ghetto area. He was a little younger than me, but he made me feel as a well-protected child at that moment.
I was convinced we would see each other again one day, but now I know that it won't happen.
As Jews we should honor people like Bogdan in the highest possible way and I, being a secular person, will say kaddish for him once I finish this text.
A Tzadik have passed away, may the enormous and beautiful heavens welcome his soul with tenderness.
Photos Alejandra sent from the trip back in 2014.
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