The day honours the thousands of Poles who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust. The date of 24 March was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the death of the Ulma family, who were killed for sheltering Jews. After being denounced by a local policeman, the Ulmas – parents Józef and pregnant Wiktoria, along with their six children ranging from two to eight years old – were executed by German gendarmes.