Plaque commemorating those who helped Jan Karski escape from German Nazi captivity in Nowy Sącz, Poland, 1940

Karski set off on foot across the Tatra Mountains on a third mission back to Angers in June, 1940, with information gathered from key Underground leaders. The weather was vicious, so he stopped for the night in the Slovakian village of Demjata, where a bribed host turned him in to the Gestapo. Arrested and tortured, Karski attempted suicide in order not to betray secrets. But was saved and transported to a hospital in Nowy Sącz, Poland. Jan Słowikowski, a young physician involved with the resistance, and a group of co-conspirators, organized a daring escape. Karski lived but 32 young underground activists were hunted down and were shot by SS men in retaliation. Only Zofia Rysiówna, later a well-known actress, and Doctor Słowikowski lived to tell the story.