The Pilecki Institute commemorated Jan Maletka on 25 November 2021 in the village of Treblinka.

He was a young man from Mińsk Mazowiecki. Following the decision of the occupational authorities, he was sent to Małkinia and employed as a railway laborer. He had lodging in a carriage by the gravel pit in Treblinka. The same fate befell his brother Stanisław Maletka. They also had a common friend there – Remigiusz Pawłowicz. Their work consisted in, among others, operating trains for transporting aggregate from the gravel pit. When, however, the wagons carrying Jews to the death camp of Treblinka II arrived at the Treblinka station, all three men would often offer help – they gave water to the Jews.

Such was the scene before noon on 20 August 1942: Jan, Stanisław and Remigiusz abandoned their assigned work and approached the train with water for the people who were trapped in the wagons and begging for help. They took all the necessary precautions, but one of the guards noticed them and began shooting. Stanisław and Remigiusz fell to the ground and then hid in a nearby ditch; they managed to survive. Jan Maletka was killed on the spot. Shortly after, his companions returned to take his body, as otherwise it would be taken to the camp and buried there.

On the day of his death Jan Maletka was 21 years old. He left behind his family, friends and a bride-to-be: the date of their wedding had already been set.

The Pilecki Institute commemorated Jan Maletka on 25 November 2021 in the village of Treblinka, click here to read about it.