Franciszek Dziedzic worked as a guard in the Rzeszów prison within the years 1938–1942. During the German occupation he mediated in exchange of information between prisoners and their families, illegally passing correspondence, food and underclothes. Jewish prisoners were also among persons benefiting from the help of Franciszek. Dziedzic proposed hiding to one of the Jewish friends named Drucker. However that Jew did not use the proposal because he believed that the possessed money would allow him to buy out himself from hands of the Germans. He failed to do that and as a result he died. In the spring of 1942 the Germans found a trace of the help rendered to prisoners by guards. Franciszek Dziedzic was detained and questioned in the Gestapo building at Jagiellońska Street in Rzeszów. He pleaded not guilty and was released. After that event he resigned from work at the prison. He retired from service on Apr. 30, 1942 and moved to the family house in Chłopice. There he was again arrested and taken to the Gestapo building in Jarosław from where he managed to escape. From that moment he was wanted by the Germans and had to hide. He went into the Janowskie Forests where he survived to the end of German occupation.
Franciszek Dziedzic, son of Jan and Teresa nee Gwóźdź (Oct. 16, 1911 – Feb. 13, 1996). From collections of Jerzy Dziedzic.