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Sister Amadeja Pavlović Posthumously Recognized as "Righteous among the Nations" by Yad Vashem

Đakovo

The former provincial superior of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross in Đakovo saved the life of an eleven-year-old Jewish girl, Zdenka Bienenstock Grünbaum of Osijek, during the Second World War.

Đakovo, (IKA/TU) – Sister Amadeja Pavlović, former provincial superior of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross in Đakovo, who saved the life of an eleven-year-old Jewish girl, Zdenka Bienenstock Grünbaum of Osijek, during the Second World War was posthumously recognized as “Righteous among the Nations” by the ambassador of Israel to Croatia, Shmuel Meirom, on March 23 in Đakovo. This award was accepted by the current provincial superior, Sister Franciska Molnar. The ceremony, which took place in the packed auditorium of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, was attended, among others, by the president of the Republic of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić; the minister of science, education and sports, Dr. Dragan Primorac; the county executive of Osijek-Baranja County, Krešimir Bubalo; the mayor of Đakovo, Ante Raspudić, and the auxiliary bishop of Đakovo-Osijek, Dr. Đuro Hranić.

Ambassador Meirom pointed out the importance of awarding recognition to the Righteous among Nations, an honor which has been received by approximately 22,000 persons to date, including 110 Righteous from Croatia. “During the days of World War II, not only cruelty and cynicism prevailed but there were also wonderful and noble people who placed their lives and the lives of their families in danger to save innocent people. Thanks to these wonderful people, our faith in humankind has been restored. It is my great honor to present the medallion and certificate in honor of the late Sister Amadeja Pavlović, because she provided sanctuary to the Jewish girl Zdenka Bienenstocks and hid her from the Ustashas,” said the ambassador. “There is no doubt that Sister Amadeja Pavlović, together with others in the convent of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, placed her life in danger by saving the life of a Jewish girl and other Jewish women from the Đakovo camp,” emphasized Ambassador Meirom.

Sister Karolina Amadeja Pavlović was born in Petrovaradin on January 28, 1895. After completing secondary school and a commercial course in Novi Sad, she worked as a secretary for the county administration in Zemun. She entered the convent at the age of 27. Upon completing her religious formation and taking her vows, she attended a normal school and then graduated from the Teachers’ College in Zagreb in 1930 at the top of her class. She then taught Croatian, geography and history at the Municipal Convent School in Đakovo. In the year 1937, she entered the provincial administration as a consultant and served as provincial superior from 1943 to 1955. Mother Amadeja died in 1971.

Zdenka Bienenstock Grünbaum, at whose initiative the process for the posthumous recognition of Sister Amadeja Pavlović was begun in 2008, was born in 1930. She lived with her parents, sister, grandmother and grandfather in Osijek. Her father, Maks Bienenstock, was the affluent owner of a sports equipment store. When the war broke out in April 1941 and the Independent State of Croatia was proclaimed, anti-Jewish laws were soon adopted that included the wearing of distinguishing Jewish symbols, the expulsion of Jewish students from schools, the establishment of so-called Aryan management in stores and factories belonging to Jews, and the collection of contributions from Jews which, according to state demands, amounted to 1,000 kg of gold. The Bienenstock family, attempting to escape persecution, decided to become baptized. In an effort to protect this family and their children, Dr. Alfred Hollender, a priest and a Jew, brought them to the convent and turned them over to Mother Amadeja. Unfortunately, all the members of Zdenka’s family were killed, despite having been baptized. Zdenka was only saved because the nuns hid her from 1941 to 1945.
When the Germans arrived in Đakovo in 1941/42, they immediately moved into the convent school building and in 1944 took over part of the convent. Among them was a former neighbor of the Bienenstock family in Osijek. Zdenka was in danger of being recognized. Mother Amadeja then hid Zdenka at the estate in Josipovac not far from Đakovo and later at the nun’s hospital in Vukovar. No one, not even Zdenka’s closest companions, was permitted to know that Zdenka was Jewish. She was under the personal protection of Mother Amadeja and felt very attached to her.

After the war, Zdenka Bienenstock Grünbaum left Croatia. In her testimony for Yad Vashem, she gave a detailed description of the good education and love that she received from Mother Amadeja, who did not require her to disavow her Jewish ancestry. “For my sake, Mother Amadeja exposed herself and the entire convent to danger. A violation such as providing sanctuary, assisting or saving Jews was punishable by death. She kept my secret despite dangers to herself and the entire convent community. Because I survived the terrible time of the Second World War, I graduated from Hebrew University and have a wonderful family, owing to the generosity of spirit, profound faith and courage of Mother Superior Amadeja,” testified Zdenka Bienenstock Grünbaum, who is 78 years of age and lives with her family in the United States.