Obóz pracy przymusowej przy zakładzie amunicji Hasag w Skarżysku-Kamiennej był według niektórych gorszy od KL Auschwitz. Panował tam głód i choroby. Żydzi pracowali po 12-14 godzin bez wynagrodzenia i za głodowe racje żywnościowe.

Spośród polskich pracowników Hasagu, którzy starali się pomóc Żydom, odznaczenie medalem „Sprawiedliwy Wśród Narodów Świata” otrzymało jedynie dwóch: Zygmunt Jarosz i Tadeusz Nowak. Nie każda historia pomocy kończyła się szczęśliwie…

English version:

Some say that the Hasag forced labour camp at the Skarżysko-Kamienna’s ammunition plant was much worse than KL Auschwitz. Jews suffered from hunger and illnesses. Despite that they were forced to work for 12-14 hours, without pay and with hardly any food. Trinitrotoluene shredding and heat treatment and then filling the shells were the hardest task. Those who worked at Hasag remember that workers’ skin turned yellow after a few days and they died 2-3 months later. There was the so-called frying pan – a place where the Germans rid off the prisoners corpses with the use of chemicals produced in the factory. To fill in the positions, the Majdanek and other concentration camp prisoners were brought in.

From among all the Hasag Polish employees who helped Jews, the „Righteous Among the Nations” medal was presented to two only: Zygmunt Jarosz and Tadeusz Nowak.

The first worked in Hasag as a foreman. he resolved to help and save Jews from the labour brigade he supervised. He took a special care over his 19-year-old colleague Chaim Śliski. Zygmunt Jarosz received support from his family and other people and thus was able to provide food, medications and clothes for Jews. Jarosz was recognised with the medal in 1999. He and the Jews from his brigade survived the war.

Tadeusz Nowak, a member of the Home Army also helped the Jews, he would smuggle food for them. The Germans, having found out decided to execute Nowak in public as a warning to the others who wanted to help Jews. On 21 April 1943 there was an unsuccessful execution by hanging. Therefore Tadeusz Nowak was shot in front of workers who were forced to watch him die. His cadaver was hung out for the public to see. On the dead bodies neck there was the label which read: „This Pole gave bread to the Jews.” In 1990 Nowak was honoured with the Righteous Among the Nations title posthumously.