The Polish village that provided shelter for 72 children from Hungary

The 1956 Memorial in Marcinkowice honors a harrowing yet uplifting historical event that stands as one of the finest examples of Polish-Hungarian friendship. During the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, a train consisting of two cars arrived at the Muszyna train station in Poland. The cars carried 72—according to other sources, nearly 100—terrified, abandoned Hungarian children, most of whom were orphans fleeing the fighting in Budapest and the Soviet tanks.
When the train arrived, the railway workers were at a loss, but upon seeing the situation, the stationmaster of Muszyna, Władysław Krupa, immediately stepped in. His decision was driven by a deep personal connection: during World War II, he himself had lived as a refugee in Keszthely, Hungary, where the locals had welcomed him with great hospitality. Out of gratitude for the kindness the Hungarians had shown him in the past, Krupa decided, on his own authority, that he would not abandon the children to their fate, and he secretly rerouted the train to his home village, Marcinkowice, near Nowy Sącz.
When the train arrived in the village, the local residents and the parish priest welcomed the shivering and hungry refugees with unprecedented solidarity and immense love. The children were first housed in the dormitory of the agricultural school in Marcinkowice, where they received safe shelter and care. Later, for their safety and to provide better conditions, they were transported to nearby Zakopane and to Krynica, to the “Hajduczek” resort, where Polish families and caregivers looked after them until the political situation in Hungary had stabilized enough for them to return home safely.
As a token of the Hungarian nation’s gratitude, a bilingual commemorative plaque was unveiled in 2006—on the 50th anniversary of the revolution—at the Church of the Immaculate Heart in Marcinkowice. This memorial has since remained a symbol of the selfless solidarity between the two peoples. On the upcoming 70th anniversary, October 25, 2026, the residents of Marcinkowice and regional leaders will pay special tribute to the memory of the local heroes who saved the children during a solemn ceremony.