"Righteous Among the Nations" More than 6,000 Poles have received the award.

"Righteous Among the Nations" More than 6,000 Poles have received the award.

Poland's president on Wednesday plans to honor dozens of people who saved Jews during the Holocaust, including a posthumous distinction to the German officer who helped musician Wladyslaw Szpilman of The Pianist survive.

President Lech Kaczynski, who has long been an advocate of close relations with the Jewish community, was to lead a ceremony at the National Opera House in downtown Warsaw to honor individuals who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II. Many have already received the "Righteous Among the Nations" award from Israel.

"Honoring the 'Righteous' with (Polish) state distinctions pays homage to the unparalleled heroism of normal people, while setting an example for current and future generations," a statement on the president's Web site said.

The president's office said that Wilm Hosenfeld, a German officer who helped save Szpilman, the Polish-Jewish musician whose story was chronicled in Roman Polanski's Oscar winning film, The Pianist, will receive a posthumous award.

The Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial created the "Righteous Among the Nations" distinction as a way to honor people who saved Jews from the Holocaust. More than 6,000 Poles have received the award.
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
WARSAW, Poland