Konstanty Rokicki passed away on July 18, 1958, in Lucerne, Switzerland. He was a Polish consular official who played a crucial role in rescuing Jews during the Holocaust. As a member of the Ładoś Group, he was instrumental in producing counterfeit Latin American passports between 1941 and 1943, providing a lifeline for thousands of Jews facing deportation to extermination camps.
Rokicki served as the Vice Consul of the Republic of Poland in Riga, Latvia, and later in Bern, Switzerland. It was in Bern that he became involved in the clandestine activities of the Ładoś Group, a network of Polish diplomats and Jewish activists dedicated to saving Jews from Nazi persecution. Led by Ambassador Aleksander Ładoś, the group devised a plan to create counterfeit passports from Latin American countries known for their lenient immigration policies.
Rokicki played a key role in producing these forged documents, which included passports from Paraguay, Honduras, and other Latin American nations. With the help of Jewish organizations, the passports were distributed to Jews living in German-occupied Europe, providing them with a chance to escape deportation and almost certain death. The recipients of these documents included entire families, who now had a glimmer of hope in their darkest hour.
The work of Rokicki and the Ładoś Group was incredibly risky, as discovery would have meant certain death for all involved. Nevertheless, they persisted in their mission, driven by a deep sense of humanity and the belief that every life mattered. Their efforts saved an estimated several thousand lives, offering a lifeline to those trapped in the clutches of the Holocaust.