Jan Maletka

Jan Maletka

(Jan Maletka in 1941.)

Jan Maletka was born in 1921 in Poland.

He was from Mińsk Mazowiecki and was Roman Catholic.

He was a Railroad Worker during the German-Occupation of Poland during World War 2.

He worked at the Gravel Pit in the Village of Treblinka with his older Brother, Stanisław, and a Co-Worker, Remigiusz Pawłowicz.

The Village of Treblinka was 50 miles from Warsaw 2 miles from the Treblinka Death Camp.

At 10 am on August 20, 1942 Jan Maletka and Remigiusz Pawłowicz were working near the Train Tracks near a Cattle Car carrying Jewish Men, Women and Children from Warsaw to the Treblinka Death Camp was halted at the Station.

Jan and Remigiusz could hear the cries of the Men, Women and Children inside begging for water (it was a hot Summer day and the Germans had given them no food or water for the journey.)

Jan and Remigiusz decided to bring water to the locked Cattle Cars.

A German Guard shot and killed Jan Maletka throwing his body into one of the Cattle Cars and brought to the Death Camp.

His Supervisor asked the Germans not to burn his body, but to release it and allow it to be buried at the Parish Cemetery in Prostyń.

The Germans agreed to the request.

Jan Maletka was 21 years old and had a Fiancée.

Remigiusz Pawłowicz survived being shot by falling into a ditch.

Jan Maletka was commemorated by the Pilecki Institute under the "Called by Name" Program on November 25, 2021, in the Village of Treblinka, at the site of the Railway Station that no longer exists.