JADVIGA ARCIHOVSKA (maiden name Matusevicha)

Born on March 16, 1924.

Father - Antons Matusevichs was a good blacksmith, received orders and made products for sale at Israelite iron works store in Rezekne, Latgales street.

Mother - Anna Matusevicha (1885 - 1960) was a housewife.

Brother Joseph (1910 - 1941) learned dad's trade of blacksmith, in 1939 started working as a truck driver in Rezekne forestry. In the beginning of WW2, when Rezekne was occupied by German army he was mobilized as a driver to evacuate Rezekne militia to Soviet Union. By the direct hit he died near Golisheva not far from border with Latvia.

Brother - Janis (1906 - 1973) also a blacksmith, lived at family home, freed from mobilization.

Heroic act of Matusevichs family.

When shooting of Jews started in Rezekne, one night Matusevichs received uninvited guest Chaim Israelite with his 13 year old nephew Yakov Israelite. When their family had been taken away, they both hid in a house cellar. They begged for refuge. Matusevichs family: Anna with a daughter Yadviga and son Janis took big responsibility and hid them at their old house and kept them there for almost three years until Germans were kicked out from the area. During the war Yadviga worked in army's economy shop as a saleswoman and sometimes she managed to get a bigger portion of food. They had to maintain great circumspection while caring for Jews because in the new house where Matusevichs stayed some German officer was housed. This only made it harder for the family to hide Israelites till July 27, 1944.

After the WW2 Chaim Israelite lived in Rezekne, died in 1964, buried at Hebrew cemetery in Rezekne. Yakov Israelite, born in 1928 finished naval college of Riga, worked in textile industry in Riga as a foreman, in 1990 moved to Israel.

On October 23, 1989 Yadviga Arcihovska (maiden name Matusevich) received the biggest award of outstanding bravery and human act during WW2: honorary title "Righteous among nations" with rights to receive Honor medal and plant a tree "Yad Vashem" in a memorial "Righteous garden" in Jerusalem.

On June 13, 1993 Y. Arcihovska received memorial medal of Chief Council of Republic of Latvia.

Y. Arcihovska lives in Rezekne. 2000.g. On July 4 Yadviga Arcihovska received Three Star order.

This is an article appearing on the FIEL - Foundation for Informative Education in Latgale